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Parents Use AI To See One Last Message From Their Deceased Son

This is an incredible story; parents of Joaquin Oliver use deep fake techniques to bring back their son for one last message:

The “Unfinished Vote” spot was directed by David Gaddie via Colony, with deepfake technology developed out of Lightfarm. This particular production was different from other deepfake films, in that the team was working with very limited visual references when creating Joaquin’s likeness...

For the [nonprofit organization] Change the Ref ad, however, Lightfarm used an experimental process that used a single image created from three different pictures of Joaquin.

(Via AdAge)

Probably the first example in science fiction of the idea that a computer-created video image could be mistaken for a real person is found in Robert Heinlein's 1966 novel The Moon is a Harsh Mistress:

"...what's to keep me from showing face, Man? I'm showing a voice this instant... I can show a face the same way."

Was so taken aback I didn't answer... I said, "No, Mike."

"Why not, Man?"

"Because you can't!. Voice you handle beautifully. Involves only a few thousand decisions a second, a slow crawl to you. But to build up a video picture would require, say, ten million decisions every second. Mike, you're so fast I can't even think about it. But you aren't that fast."

Mike said softly, "Want to bet, Man?"

...We waited in silence. Then screen showed neutral gray with a hint of scan lines. Went black again, then a faint light filled middle and congealed into cloudy areas light and dark, ellipsoid. Not a face, but suggestion of face that one sees in cloud patterns...

It cleared a little and reminded me of pictures alleged to be ectoplasm. A ghost of a face.

Suddenly firmed and we saw "Adam Selene."

Was a still picture of a mature man. No background, just a face as if trimmed out of a print...

Then he smiled, moving lips and jaw and touching tongue to lips, a quick gesture...
(Read more about Adam Selene)

Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 10/4/2020)

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Related News Stories - (" Virtual Person ")

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