AI-Generated 'Final Farewells': Russian War Widows Use Technology to Mourn

Reviewed byNidhi Govil

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In Russia, AI technology is being used to create digital resurrections of deceased soldiers, allowing grieving families to experience one last goodbye. This trend has sparked debates about mourning in the digital age and the ethics of AI-generated content.

The Rise of Digital Resurrection in Russia

In a poignant intersection of grief and technology, Russian families are turning to artificial intelligence to create haunting digital farewells for their loved ones lost in the Ukraine conflict. This trend, known as 'digital resurrection,' has gained significant traction in Russia, particularly among the wives and mothers of fallen soldiers

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Source: Digital Trends

Source: Digital Trends

The Process and Cost

For a modest fee of around $30, grieving relatives can submit photos of their deceased loved ones to AI editors on platforms like Telegram or VKontakte (Russia's Facebook equivalent). These editors then generate short animated clips, typically lasting about 60 seconds, that depict the deceased in lifelike scenarios

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The 'Final Meeting' Project

The viral spread of this phenomenon in Russia can be attributed to Anna Korableva's VKontakte page, 'Final Meeting.' What began as a project to superimpose people into childhood photos evolved into creating farewell videos for war casualties. Korableva's page now receives up to 500 requests per day, with each video taking about two days to produce

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Emotional Impact and Controversy

For many, these AI-generated videos provide a form of closure. Yelena Kirghizova, whose husband's body was never returned after his death in Ukraine, found solace in a digital farewell video. She described it as an opportunity to say goodbye that she never had in reality

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However, the trend has sparked controversy, particularly among Ukrainians who view the depiction of Russian soldiers ascending to heaven as a glorification of the war that has claimed so many lives on both sides

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Source: The Seattle Times

Source: The Seattle Times

Broader Implications

This phenomenon is not unique to Russia. Similar services are gaining popularity in China, where companies like Silicon Intelligence offer AI-generated animations of deceased or aging family members

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The trend raises important questions about the ethics of AI in mourning processes and the potential psychological impacts of these digital resurrections. As AI technology continues to advance, society will need to grapple with these complex issues surrounding death, memory, and the digital afterlife.

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