AI Avatars Are Taking Your Orders and Living On After You Die
Artificial intelligence is now being used to take your fast-food orders at drive-thru windows and to create digital clones of people that can interact with loved ones after they die, according to recent developments. These two uses show how AI is moving from science fiction into everyday life.
Fast-food chains are testing AI chatbots to take orders at drive-thru windows [179700]. The technology uses voice recognition to understand customers, confirm their orders, and send them to the kitchen. Human workers still prepare the food and hand it to drivers. Supporters say the chatbots can reduce wait times and free up employees, while critics worry about job losses and errors with complex orders. No company has announced a full rollout yet, and most chains are still testing the system in a few locations [179700].
Meanwhile, a growing number of people are open to the idea of becoming a digital avatar after they pass away [179909]. "Basically, you can use ChatGPT to reproduce yourself," says Carl Öhman, a researcher at Uppsala University. By feeding an AI system with a person's writings, voice recordings, and memories, the technology can create a digital version that mimics their personality and speech. This avatar could then interact with loved ones, answering questions or sharing stories long after the real person is gone. Experts say the technology is already within reach, and the main challenge is ethical—deciding how such avatars should be used and who controls them after death [179909].