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Love, grief, and an AI chatbot

Joshua created an AI simulation of his deceased fianc茅e 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: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707

(Photo: Joshua Barbeau and Jessica Pereira; Credit: Joshua Barbeau)

Available now

41 minutes

Broadcasts

  • Mon 30 Sep 2024 11:06GMT
  • Mon 30 Sep 2024 17:06GMT
  • Mon 30 Sep 2024 21:06GMT
  • Tue 1 Oct 2024 02:06GMT

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