From Interesting Engineering:
A new AI company has sparked controversy online after launching an app that enables users to create interactive digital avatars of deceased family members.
The Los Angeles–based startup, 2Wai, went viral when co-founder Calum Worthy released a promotional video showing how the technology works. The clip features a pregnant woman speaking to an AI recreation of her late mother through her phone. It then jumps forward 10 months, showing the AI “grandma” reading a bedtime story to the baby. Critics say the idea crosses emotional boundaries and risks replacing real grief with artificial comfort. The video’s portrayal of a child forming lifelong bonds with an AI version of his grandmother triggered the strongest reactions.