Meta Secures Patent For Ai System That Could Simulate Users’ Social Media Activity, Even After Death

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has secured a patent describing technology that would allow a large language model to simulate a person’s social media activity, including responding to posts, messages, and interactions when the user is inactive or deceased, according to a report by Business Insider.

“The language model may be used for simulating the user when the user is absent from the social networking system, for example, when the user takes a long break or if the user is deceased,” the patent says. 

The patent, granted in late December and first filed in 2023, lists Meta Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth as the primary author. It details a system that could generate posts, likes, comments, and direct message replies by training an AI model on a user’s historical activity and behaviour patterns.

According to the filing, the model could simulate a user’s presence during extended breaks from social media or after death. The document notes that the absence of a user can affect followers’ experience, particularly in cases where the user cannot return to the platform.

The proposed system would rely on “user-specific” data, including past comments, content, and engagement history, to replicate how a person would typically interact online. The patent also references potential technology enabling simulated video or audio calls using such AI models.

Meta, however, told Business Insider that it has no plans to develop or implement the example described in the patent. The company said that filing patents does not necessarily mean it intends to commercialise the technology.

Other technology firms have explored similar ideas. Microsoft patented an AI chatbot in 2021 capable of simulating deceased individuals, fictional characters, or public figures. Several startups have also launched services aimed at creating AI-driven memorial avatars.

Experts have raised concerns about the legal, ethical, and psychological implications of such technology. Edina Harbinja, a professor at the University of Birmingham specialising in digital rights and post-mortem privacy, said the issue involves complex legal and philosophical considerations.

The post Meta secures patent for AI system that could simulate users’ social media activity, even after death appeared first on Profit by Pakistan Today.