This AI App Lets You Chat with the Dead Using a Few Minutes of Video – and Not Everyone Is Okay with That

Why It Matters

2wai blurs the line between memory preservation and commercial AI, forcing regulators, investors, and consumers to confront new legal and ethical frameworks around digital personhood and posthumous data use.

Summary

Former Disney Channel star Calum Worthy co‑founded 2wai, an AI app that creates lifelike digital avatars from as little as three minutes of video and personality data, allowing users to chat with synthetic versions of deceased loved ones, historical figures, or even the founders themselves. A recent ad showing a pregnant woman conversing with a virtual grandmother sparked backlash, with critics likening the service to "Black Mirror" necromancy and raising privacy and consent concerns. Beyond grief‑focused marketing, 2wai positions itself as a social platform for avatar interaction, offering free access now but likely moving to a subscription model for ongoing avatar maintenance. The technology raises ethical questions about digital identity, consent after death, and the commercialization of personal memories.