Love, grief, and an AI chatbot
Joshua created an AI simulation of his deceased fiancée 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: [email protected] or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707
(Photo: Joshua Barbeau and Jessica Pereira; Credit: Joshua Barbeau)
Last on
Broadcasts
- Mon 30 Sep 202411:06GMTBBC World Service
- Mon 30 Sep 202417:06GMTBBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
- Mon 30 Sep 202421:06GMTBBC World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
- Tue 1 Oct 202402:06GMTBBC World Service
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