Meta Corporation recently received a controversial artificial intelligence patent that can continue to post content on social media accounts on behalf of users after their death. The patent, approved in December, could also enable simulated video and audio calls with deceased users. Experts have raised multiple legal, ethical and social concerns.
According to patent documents, the large-scale language model can create "digital clones" of social media users to simulate their online activities and post messages, photos and videos on their behalf when the user dies or leaves social media for an extended period of time. The AI system can even interact with other users, replying to private messages, liking posts and commenting on content. The AI can also mimic content posted by influencers and simulate video or audio calls with friends, fans and other users, potentially giving content creators a tool to continue generating content even during breaks.
It is understood that this large-scale language model is specially trained based on the historical activities of social media users, including comments, likes and sharing records across multiple platforms. The system is also reportedly trained on videos, images and messages from popular bloggers, allowing it to continue posting new content in the creator's absence.
A Meta spokesperson confirmed the existence of the patent but stressed that the company does not intend to use the technology to post messages or create content on behalf of deceased social media users. The spokesman added that filing for patents allows companies to secure ownership of new concepts, but does not mean the technologies will be implemented commercially.
Meta's caution is understandable, as deploying such AI in many regions could pose legal challenges. Experts also believe the company is aware of potential public relations issues, as imitating the deceased raises significant social, ethical and philosophical questions.
Professor Edina Harbinja of the University of Birmingham Law School told Business Insider that there are clear financial incentives for social media platforms to maintain popular accounts that are active and have large numbers of followers. However, she warned that companies must be careful not to infringe on users' digital rights or privacy after their death.
Joseph Davis, a professor of sociology at the University of Virginia, and others have expressed concerns about the potential impact on grieving family and friends. Davis believes that Meta should "let the dead rest in peace" instead of trying to resurrect them in the virtual world through artificial intelligence robots. The emergence of this technology not only triggered discussions about digital heritage management, but also made people rethink how to respect the deceased and how to deal with digital identity issues related to the deceased in the era of artificial intelligence.