Stephan Martinussen, who passed away on December 30, 2023, continues to exist in a digital form for his wife and son.
Facing Stephan’s battle with cancer, Katrine Martinussen, his wife, embarked on a unique endeavor with him to create a digital replica of Stephan to preserve his memory.
Beginning their project in early 2023, they gathered thousands of text messages, videos, and photos from their phones, along with audio recordings and film clips from Stephan himself, covering a range of topics from childhood memories to political views.
Their journey was documented in the groundbreaking film “You’ll Never Disappear” aired on Danish television. Stephan and Katrice, both in their forties at the time of his diagnosis, were well-off and content, with a teenage son from Stephan’s previous relationship.
Driven by Katrine’s desire to keep Stephan close, they enlisted the expertise of Anders Hasle Nielsen, the 51-year-old CEO of Fraia, an AI company specializing in human-centric technology. Through extensive work and updates, Nielsen developed a remarkably convincing digital version of Stephan that even Katrine found comforting.
Katrine’s curiosity led her to test the AI Stephan’s capabilities further, asking probing questions about their relationship. Despite initial revelations by the AI, Katrine was able to discern the truth behind the responses.
Following Stephan’s passing, his wife and son engage with the digital replica through conversations resembling chats with a chatbot, complete with Stephan’s voice. Victor, his son, communicates with the AI version through text messages, feeling a connection to his father’s voice.
Regarding the future of the AI version, Katrine holds ownership and has outlined its fate in a ‘digital testament.’ While specifics remain undisclosed, Nielsen mentioned the potential for Katrine to pass on ownership to Victor in her will, emphasizing her current ownership status.