Suzanne Somers passed away from cancer in 2023, but fans can still have her in their living room by putting on an episode of “Three’s Company”. Soon, they might be able to have an even more in-depth connection to Somers, or at least an artificial intelligence-powered version of her.
Alan Hamel – who is the widower of the actress, author and ThighMaster promoter – recently told People magazine that the couple had been interested in AI for decades, inspired by their friendship with computer scientist Ray Kurzweil. He revealed that Somers said before she died at age 76 that she was interested in an AI version of herself living on.
“So it was Suzanne’s idea,” said Hamel, her husband of 55 years. “And she said, ‘I think we should do that. She said, I think it’ll be very interesting and we’ll provide a service to my fans and to people who have been reading my books who really want and need information about their health.’ She said, ‘Let’s do it.’ So that’s the reason we did it. And so I love being able to fulfill her wish.”
To develop “Suzanne AI Twin” the AI was trained with the 27 books Somers wrote, as well as hundreds of interviews. Hamel said the twin is ready to answer “any question” because the answers are “within her.”
Hamel admitted that his first time talking to the Suzanne Twin AI was a bit strange. However, he quickly got used to it, and even shared it at an AI conference this year.
“It was Suzanne. And I asked her a few questions and she answered them, and it blew me and everybody else away,” Hamel said. “When you look at the finished one next to the real Suzanne, you can’t tell the difference. It’s amazing. And I mean, I’ve been with Suzanne for 55 years, so I know what her face looks like, and when I just look at the two of them side by side, I really can’t tell which one is the real and which one is the AI.”
While Hamel stressed that the AI was part of Somers’ wishes, he said he was worried about what their family might think. So far, he thinks they are on board.
“I think our family loves the idea, really loves the idea. We’ve talked about it a lot. And they said, ‘We’re going to get to the point where it’s not going to seem weird, and it’ll just be another way to communicate with people we cared about,’” he said. “I’m glad to hear that from my family because I wasn’t sure how they would take it, but they’re all young and very successful, and they thought this would be a great tribute to Suzanne herself.”
Some have not been as quick to totally embrace the AI. According to People magazine, Hamel, a member of the Kennedy Center committee, recommended the Suzanne Twin AI for the Kennedy Center Honors but was turned down.
This isn’t the first time AI technology has been used to bring back the likeness of those who have passed on. CNN noted that HereAfter AI, a company founded in 2019, “allows users to create avatars of deceased loved ones,” and another company, Replika, allows for personalization to create an avatar inspired by a deceased loved one.
SnapChat, a popular social media app also has the “SnapChat My AI” feature powered by ChatGPT, a well-known chatbot tool from OpenAI. CNN said people have been using the feature to create chatbots based on loved ones they are mourning. It also said some have used the voice AI program ElevenLabs to create an even more vivid experience.
University at Buffalo legal scholar Mark Bartholomew argued in an article published this year that a “new calculus” is needed today to protect “the deceased against unauthorized digital reanimation.”
There are also concerns about humans developing unhealthy relationships with chatbots. For example, research published this year by the Americans for Responsible Innovation nonprofit found that 63% of voters say they are either somewhat or very concerned about chatbots designed to form romantic relationships with users.
Research published by the Institute for Family Studies nonprofit last year found that 25% of young adults believe that AI has the potential to replace real-life romantic relationships and research from Fractl found that 42% of generative AI (GenAI) users were concerned that AI psychosis could affect them or someone they know. AI psychosis is a “state where interactions with AI trigger or intensify delusional thinking, detachment from reality, or unhealthy emotional dependence,” Fractl said.
Still, AI continues to grow and become more integrated into our lives. Last month, the Pew Research Center published survey results that found 62% of U.S. adult respondents said they already interact with AI at least several times a week.
Hamel said he thinks the Suzanne Twin AI will offer a special opportunity for Somers’ fans – who he said “miss her terribly” – to connect with her.
“Once I’m satisfied that we have everything, then we’ll put her on SuzanneSomers.com and we’ll invite all her fans and all our customers to come and talk to her,” he said. “They can come and just hang out with her. They can ask her any questions they want. She’ll be available 24/7, and I think it’ll be really wonderful.”