- Title: AI lets a deceased woman address her own funeral
- Date: 25th August 2022
- Summary: LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES (RECENT) (Reuters) (SOUNDBITE) (English) DR STEPHEN SMITH, STORYFILE FOUNDER AND CEO SAYING: “StoryFile doesn't change answers to questions, we don't edit it, we don't manipulate it, we don't deep fake it. What we're trying to say is, this is the authentic you. This is the video that you created, and now you're making that accessible by means of conversation for the future. So, in a nutshell, StoryFile is the place that you go to tell your story so that future generations can get to know you and converse with you. Just like we're talking now."
- Embargoed: 8th September 2022 10:42
- Keywords: AI Dr Stephen Smith StoryFile artificial intelligence deceased woman address her own funeral video conversations
- Location: UNIDENTIFIED LOCATIONS, UNITED KINGDOM / LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES
- City: UNIDENTIFIED LOCATIONS, UNITED KINGDOM / LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Information Technologies / Computer Sciences,Science,United States
- Reuters ID: LVA008023123082022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: What would you say at your own funeral? Thanks to AI-powered technology it is now possible to ask questions to someone who has passed away.
87-year-old Marina Smith died in June but thanks to StoryFile Life, an AI tool developed by her son and his wife, her family can still hear her thoughts on any questions they may have.
Mourners at Smith's funeral were able to ask the deceased some questions with the StoryFile software accessing recorded video clips of Marina that answered their questions.
“Each of our stories of our lives is important to those that follow us... for them when they come to us 50 years, 100 years from now and if you're the great, great, great grandparents of this person, who wants to know who you are, where you came for, what you believe what you did with your life,†Dr Stephen Smith, Marina’s son and co-founder of StoryFile told Reuters.
The process involves the subject using any laptop to record themselves answering dozens of questions which are uploaded to the StoryFile platform. AI selects answers to questions prerecorded and approved by the subject; it does not 'deepfake' the answers.
“StoryFile doesn't change answers to questions, we don't edit it, we don't manipulate it, we don't deep fake it. What we're trying to say is, this is the authentic you. This is the video that you created, and now you're making that accessible by means of conversation for the future,†Smith said.
The original idea was to allow interactions with people with notable histories like 9/11 survivors or Civil Rights leaders.
Now anyone can upload their answers for a one-off fee of $48.
(Production: Stuart McDill) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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