Love, grief, and an AI chatbot
Joshua created an AI simulation of his deceased fiancΓ©e to help him deal with his loss.
When gaming enthusiast Joshua Barbeau met Jessica, he knew he had found his soulmate. But his happiness didn't last. Jessica died from a rare health condition aged just 23, leaving Joshua struggling to cope with his grief, and his life. Eight years later, in 2020, while playing around with a website that used AI to create bespoke chatbots, Joshua had an audacious idea. He decided to create a chatbot based on his beloved Jessica. It's an experience that he says helped him finally to find closure.
Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Rebecca Vincent
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707
(Photo: Joshua Barbeau and Jessica Pereira; Credit: Joshua Barbeau)
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- Mon 30 Sep 2024 11:06GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service
- Mon 30 Sep 2024 17:06GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
- Mon 30 Sep 2024 21:06GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
- Tue 1 Oct 2024 02:06GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service
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