A new startup from MIT, Eterni.me generates virtual avatars of dead people, allowing you to have video conversations with them over Skype. As crazy as this idea may sound, the service is indeed getting positive feedback.
The team claims to have found a recipe for creating virtual avatars of deceased people. In order to do so, the service will need person’s chat logs, photos, social-network information, and e-mails, and using this data, it stitches together a digital portrait of one when they are gone. “Eterni.me collects almost everything that you create during your lifetime, and processes this huge amount of information using complex Artificial Intelligence algorithms,” the website explains.
“Then it generates a virtual YOU, an avatar that emulates your personality and can interact with, and offer information and advice to, your family and friends after you pass away. It’s like a Skype chat from the past.”
The site has received over 36,000 visits and 1,300 emails since its launch, and if you are interested in it, you can contact them as well. How do you like this idea? Would you mind if your digital avatar was passing wisdom to future generations when you are gone?