the excesses of artificial intelligence are controversial in China

At the beginning of the year, Taiwanese singer and musician Bao Xiaobo, famous throughout China, had a video made of his 22-year-old daughter who had died following an illness. Artificial intelligence techniques bring the young woman back to life virtually. In an interview in February 2024, the father explains his joy at having been able to organize his daughter’s return.

The video was a big success on social networks and gave ideas to several Chinese companies specializing in artificial intelligence. One of them brought back to life at the beginning of the year the singer Coco living in Hong Kong and who had killed herself last summer at the age of 48. In the video, we can see the singer talking and addressing her fans.

“I haven’t left yet.”

Same thing for Chinese actor and singer Qiao Renliang who committed suicide in Shanghai in 2016 at the age of 28. Earlier this year, a Chinese company recreated the character in a video. In the images the actor can be seen speaking and declaring: “It’s me, Qiao Renliang, I haven’t left yet.”

Images which made the actor’s father react. In an interview published in mid-March, he explains his pain after viewing the images of his son, even though he had not given permission. He demands the destruction of this video, experienced as “a scar“.

On social networks, many Internet users react and denounce the practices of these companies which make money by bringing dead celebrities back to life. “We need limits, and we must respect the deceased” testifies a Chinese on the Weibo network. “Only family can do this kind of thing“, reacts another Internet user. But, for the moment, this type of new practice is not regulated in China.