I'm the VC who created AI Scott Adams. Here's why I'm continuing the project, despite his family's objections. (www.businessinsider.com)

John Arrow, an AI venture capitalist, has launched a project titled "AI Coffee with Scott Adams," which generates podcasts featuring a deepfake of the late cartoonist Scott Adams. Arrow asserts that the creation of this AI replica honors Adams' expressed desire to be memorialized through AI, as Adams frequently stated his wish to have his likeness and thoughts used in this way. Each episode costs approximately $1,000 to produce, as they require extensive rendering and lip-syncing based on extensive training data from Adams' previous works, including his podcast episodes and public statements. This initiative stirs significant debate in the AI/ML community around ethical implications and consent in digital legacy. While Arrow acknowledges the discomfort of Adams' family, he emphasizes that his project is rooted in Adams' own wishes, collected from numerous public declarations. Arrow aims to maintain a respectful distance between human intervention and the AI's output, focusing on faithfully reproducing Adams' voice and opinions. As AI continues to evolve, this project raises critical questions about the boundaries of digital embodiment and memory, and how technology can be leveraged to honor the legacies of influential figures.