Disney Channel Star's AI App That Creates Avatars of Dead Relatives Sparks Backlash
A new AI-powered app, co-founded by Disney Channel alum Calum Worthy, is causing an uproar on social media. The app, named 2wai, allows users to create interactive avatars of their deceased loved ones, sparking intense debate and criticism. Many users are calling the technology dystopian, comparing it to the sci-fi series "Black Mirror."
Former Disney Channel actor Calum Worthy co-founded the AI app 2wai. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Next Generation Indie Film Awards)
Getty Images for Next Generation Indie Film Awards
The App's Features and Controversy
Worthy, known for his role in the Disney Channel series "Austin & Ally," recently posted an ad for the app on X, which has since gone viral, attracting over 22 million views and thousands of critical responses. The ad showcases an expectant mother communicating with an AI-generated avatar of her deceased mother through the 2wai app. It demonstrates how the avatar interacts with the family during the son's birth, upbringing, and eventual family of his own.
The ad concludes by stating, "With 2wai, three minutes can last forever." Worthy's post emphasizes the app's ability to create a "living archive of humanity," suggesting that "loved ones we've lost could be part of our future."
However, the app has faced significant backlash. While Worthy's post received only 6,000 likes, the critical responses were numerous. One user called the app "objectively one of the most evil ideas imaginable," attracting 210,000 likes. Another user expressed disbelief, stating that a former Disney Channel star creating such an app was unexpected, gaining 139,000 likes. A user with 12,000 likes described the app as "demonic, dishonest, and dehumanizing," emphasizing their reluctance to have an AI-generated persona on the app.
Critics argue that the app profits from grief and may provide an unhealthy way to cope with loss. The app is free to download but offers premium avatars and digital items for purchase, raising concerns about exploiting emotional vulnerability.
