Bizarre: Meta patents an AI that will ‘impersonate’ the user when they die

According to the description in the patent, the system would rely on the user’s previous activity on the platform and learn from it the style of communication, habits and typical reactions. He could then generate new posts, like or comment on the content of other users, but also respond to private messages so that it looks to others as if the person is still active. The document mentions that such a ‘simulation’ could be used when the user takes a long break, but also in case of death.

In some scenarios, AI could take on the role of an interlocutor in chats, with responses that mimic the tone and manner of expression of a real person. That’s why comparisons with ‘digital ghosts’ and the trend of tools that try to create a digital version of a person based on their traces on the Internet immediately appeared on the Internet. It sounds like sci-fi, but in practice it could be very convincing, especially to people who are not aware that they are talking to a model and not a real person.

An important detail is that a patent is not the same as a finished product. Companies often apply for patents even for ideas that never end up in actual functions, and according to the text, Meta said that it currently has no plans to introduce such an option. Nevertheless, the idea itself is sensitive enough that it immediately started discussions about whether such a thing would have to be strictly voluntary, who would have the right to include or exclude the ‘AI version’ and how to prevent abuses, from false representation to manipulation of people who are in love.