PALM SPRINGS, CA - 1954: Actress Marilyn Monroe poses for a portrait laying on the grass in 1954 in Palm Springs, California. (Photo by Baron/Getty Images)
In recent years, there has been a lot of discussion about the practice of using digital images of celebrities without their consent, both after their death and during their lifetime. For example, Zelda Williams, filmmaker and daughter of Robin Williams — last year criticized the «disturbing» the trend of people trying to recreate the voices and faces of the dead. However, despite the obvious ethical issues, companies continue to do so. For example, Soul Machines has introduced Digital Marilyn — an AI chatbot that looks and talks like Marilyn Monroe.
The company, which specializes in what it calls «Digital Humans with Biological Artificial Intelligence», introduced the Marilyn bot in partnership with Authentic Brands Group. ABG owns the rights to the appearance of Monroe and many other celebrities, both living and dead, including Elvis Presley and Shaquille O’Neal.
The digital Marilyn runs on GPT 3.5, is «hyper-real» and is able to respond to emotions and nuances of facial expressions. She can support approximately a 20-minute conversation.
More than just an impressive imitation, it is an autonomous digital personality capable of engaging in natural, dynamic conversations that feel authentic and responsive. It’s as if a spark of Marilyn herself has been brought to the age of artificial intelligence, offering a unique and deeply personal connection for devoted fans and curious newcomers alike.
— is stated in blog Soul Machines.
Soul Machines touts its digital celebrities (there are others, including the upcoming basketball player Carmelo Anthony bot) as a way for famous people to «communicate with their fans one-on-one, without restrictions» and «provide 24/7 communication», transmits Engadget.