AI Marilyn Monroe adds to the list of dead celebrities digitally resurrected without consent

In recent years, there has been much discussion about the practice of profiting from the digital likenesses of celebrities without their consent, whether after their death or while they are still alive. Zelda Williams, for example Lisa Frankenstein director and daughter of Robin Williams — criticized the “disturbing” trend of people trying to recreate the voices and faces of the deceased last year, while striking actors fought, among other things, for better protections around the potential use of AI clones by the studio. But despite the obvious ethical problems, companies continue to do it. The last one? Soul Machines Just Introduced”Digital Marilyn”, an AI chatbot designed to look and speak just like Marilyn Monroe.

The company, which specializes in what it calls Biological AI-powered digital humans, debuted the Marilyn bot at SXSW on Friday in partnership with Authentic Brands Group. ABG owns the rights to Monroe’s image and those of many other celebrities, both dead and alive, including Elvis Presley and Shaq. Digital Marilyn, powered by GPT 3.5, is “hyperreal” and capable of responding with “emotions and nuanced expressions,” Soul Machines said in a press release. She can maintain about 20 minutes of conversation.

“More than just an impressive avatar, Digital Marilyn is an autonomous digital personality capable of engaging in natural, dynamic conversations that feel authentic and responsive,” wrote Soul Machines in blog post. “It’s as if the spark of Marilyn herself has been brought into the age of AI, offering a unique and deeply personal connection for devoted fans and curious newcomers alike.” Anyone else’s skin crawling?

Soul Machines touts its digital celebrities (there are others, including an upcoming Carmelo Anthony bot) as a way for famous people to “engage 1-on-1 with their fans, without limits” and “provide a 24/7 connection.” It should be noted that all of the other AI celebrities the company currently offers chats with — Mark Tuan, Francis Ngannou, and Jack Nicklaus — are men who are alive and thus can weigh in on their inclusion. Soul Machines introduced its AI Marilyn Monroe to the public with Instagram post for International Women’s Day, because nothing says “celebrate women” like using the likeness of a female celebrity who’s no longer around to give permission.