Mourners rely on AI to reconnect with lost relatives during Qingming Festival

TIANJIN — In the days surrounding Qingming Festival, when Chinese people pay tribute to the dead, Zhang Ming (pseudonym) found himself able to speak again with his late grandfather — through an AI-generated digital avatar.

"How are you doing over there, Grandpa?" Zhang asked. The response was made in a familiar voice: "I'm doing well, playing chess and chatting with old friends. Make sure you take care of yourself."

Zhang, a resident of Tianjin, used an app called Lingyu, or "Spiritual Encounter", to create a digital clone of his grandfather by uploading photos, voice recordings and some background information. The AI processed the data to generate a lifelike avatar capable of voice and even video conversations in a regional dialect.