How AI is being used to create messages from 'digital twins' of the dead

Soul Link technology that aims to reproduce face, voice and memories of deceased loved ones is shown at Dubai's Gitex

Min Kyung-kim used the technology to recreate images of her grandfather, Yong Man-kim, who died two months ago. Photo: Soul Link

A South Korean tech company is hoping to create a digital bridge between the living and the dead with the help of artificial intelligence.

Soul Link uses AI to create replica characters, or "digital twins", of the deceased by using photographs, video or voice recordings.

The technology, on show at Gitex 2025 in Dubai, can reproduce the face, voice, tone and memories of the dead to simulate an online presence of those who have died. Developers claim it can help those struggling to come to terms with grief.

“We have already launched this product in Korea and Japan, and hope to now bring this to the Middle East,” said Kim Min-kyung, a business development manager of JL Standard, a South Korean start-up that launched Soul Link in Asia.

“Soul Link is AI-based and follows our slogan, which is 'data follows emotions'. This is not only AI, but it also brings human empathy to the technology. We focus on the autobiography of someone’s life, so a connection with a family member can continue after they have passed.”

Kim Min-kyung at Gitex on Monday. Victor Besa / The National

How does it work and what is the cost?

To create a video letter from a dead relative costs around Dh500 ($136), while a composite restoration of a memorial photo is priced at Dh250.

The company is also working on an application that it is hoped will allow people to set characteristics of a deceased loved one, their voice and personality traits, so conversation becomes possible.

For those who have lost a beloved pet, messages can even be created and personalised to feel as though they have been delivered directly from your dead cat or dog.

Mixed opinions

The technology is not without its critics, however. Zelda Williams, the daughter of US comedian Robin Williams, asked fans to stop sending her AI-generated video messages of her father, who died in 2014.

Ms Williams, an actress and film director, said the technology was “just badly recycling and regurgitating the past to be reconsumed”. AI has been increasingly used in recent years to resurrect actors for posthumous roles in Hollywood movies.

The Soul Link device in action at Gitex. Victor Besa / The National

Carrie Fisher, Harold Ramis and Paul Walker are among the beloved stars to feature in blockbuster hits after their deaths, leading to polarising reactions from audiences. Hollywood actor Robert Downey Jr has previously vowed to ensure his estate sues any film executives who use AI-generated versions of him.

Ms Kim has had a contrasting experience, after using similar technology to recreate images of her grandfather, who died two months ago at the age of 96, after a three-year illness.

“This is designed to allow people to constantly have an interaction with loved ones who are no longer alive,” she said. “The soul will always be alive, they will always be there with you. In Korea, we have found this has worked very well for people who are struggling to deal with the loss of someone close.

“Sometimes you really want to have their touch – if you are in a difficult situation or you need just a little bit of comfort, this can give you this warmness. My grandfather passed away two months ago and we didn't have a prepared recent photo as he had been sick for a while, so we just generated a new one. It was a comfort to see him how he was remembered.”