New AI App Sparks Debate After Letting Users “Talk” to the Dead

A Viral Concept With Familiar Dystopian Echoes

A new artificial intelligence app is raising eyebrows — and ethical questions — for allowing users to interact with digital avatars of deceased loved ones. Actor Calum Worthy, co-founder of the AI company 2wai, introduced the technology in a viral post that immediately drew comparisons to the Black Mirror episode “Be Right Back.” The promotional video, viewed more than 22 million times, shows a woman revealing her pregnancy to an AI-generated version of her late mother, then follows the avatar through decades of her grandson’s life.

How 2wai Says It Works

According to 2wai’s marketing lead Alex Finden, the platform isn’t designed to recreate the dead without consent. Instead, it allows living users to create “digital twins” of themselves while they are alive. These avatars are built through recordings, videos, and messages that a person intentionally provides. After someone’s passing, the family may continue interacting with the avatar — but only if the individual created it beforehand. Finden emphasizes that users can only make avatars of themselves, a key safeguard meant to prevent identity theft or unauthorized likeness use.

Backlash and Ethical Concerns

Despite those assurances, the reaction online has been mixed. Thousands of comments expressed discomfort with the idea of an AI version of a deceased person speaking, reacting, or offering advice long after death. Critics argue that even with lifetime recordings, the technology could distort someone’s voice or intentions. Others warn that simulations of the dead could complicate the grieving process, blurring emotional boundaries and creating an illusion of continued presence.

A Debate That’s Just Beginning

2wai maintains that its mission centers on ethics, consent, and preserving human stories. Supporters see a powerful tool for memory-keeping. Skeptics fear it edges too close to dystopian fiction. As the app continues its beta phase, one thing is clear: the conversation about digital afterlife technology is only beginning.