South Korea has used AI to bring a dead superstar's voice back to the stage, but ethical concerns ab

[soryang]

South Korea has used AI to bring a dead superstar's voice back to the stage, but ethical concerns abound
By Gawon Bae, CNN

Updated 9:34 PM ET, Mon January 25, 2021

Seoul (CNN)For the first time in 25 years, the distinctive vocals of South Korean superstar Kim Kwang-seok will be heard on national television singing new material.

It's a feat made all the more extraordinary because the famous folk singer is dead.

National broadcaster SBS plans to use artificial intelligence (AI) to bring Kim's voice back to life on a new program, "Competition of the Century: AI vs Human," to air later this week.

It's not the first time AI has been used to revive a famous singer in South Korea.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/25/asia/south-korea-kim-kwang-seok-ai-dst-hnk-intl/index.html

It's worth reading the whole article if you have time. AI voice simulations raise all kinds of legal and ethical issues. There is also the fraud angle in impersonation.

Kim Kwang -seok had a remarkable voice and a tragic life. This is one of his well known hits which is still performed by contemporary singers:

Too Painful a Love Was Not Love, Kim Kwang Seok

[KarenS]

1. I will tell you,,,,

a couple of years ago my husband and I saw a show Buddy Holly/Roy Orbison,,,, I did not read the fine print and thought it was 'tribute bands' nope. Holograms. OK,,,, we saw it,,,, it was more than bizarre,,, something I will never do again,,,,
not exactly the same as this article but close enough.

[soryang]

2. yes, i'm somewhat creeped out by this

i'm no IT expert, but i tried to keep private information off the internet as much as I can without going totally luddite. It appears somewhat hopeless at this point.

There was some family dispute over the singer's personal estate after he died, his wife and family life was smeared all over the internet. One director even made a movie about it. The string of suicides in show business among young performers seems to be an unfortunate trend and the lack of internet privacy seems to be a part of it. Bringing him back to life seems over the top to me.

In any case, i now don't feel that telling family members i won't put my voice or fingerprint as a "security measure" for access to my devices is so crazy. With a voice and a fingerprint or other authenticating information...the possibilities seem frightening.