Joshua Barbeau is known for using AI technology to simulate conversations with his deceased fiancée Jessica. In 2021, he utilized Project December, a system built on OpenAI’s GPT-3 language model, to create a chatbot replica of Jessica that could emulate her conversational style and personality.
Barbeau input Jessica’s old messages and biographical details into the chatbot, which then produced responses that mimicked her tone with surprising accuracy. This AI simulation provided Barbeau with comfort and a sense of Jessica’s “presence,” though it also raised significant ethical questions about grief processing and consent of the deceased.
OpenAI later revoked the GPT-3 access for this simulation, considering it a misuse of their technology.
Connections
- Used Project December to recreate his deceased fiancée
- Case discussed in AI Resurrection Ethics
- Example of Digital Afterlife technology
- Featured in DeepResearch - Real-World AI Waifu Creations and Experiments