WASHINGTON – Artificial intelligence is creating opportunities for mourners to reconnect with loved ones who’ve already passed away. The technology, while controversial, is gaining prominence as AI development improves at a rapid pace.

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California-based DeepBrain AI has developed AI technology which will convert a person’s voice, face, and mannerisms into an avatar that can be seen and interacted with for years to come.

"We usually shoot three, 3 hours, and then we do one month of learning process and during the one-month learning process we also make the chatbot engine the brain part to feed it," said Michael Jung, the CFO of DeepBrain AI.

Here’s an example of the technology at work

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In 2020, a South Korean documentary crew captured the moment a grieving mother re-connecting with an AI version of her deceased seven-year-old daughter. The clip went viral and re-ignited the debate over whether AI may help or hurt people who are coping with the loss of a loved one.

Research studies are already underway to determine if people grieve more effectively when using chatbots. Mental health experts tell Fox News they believe the technology could put off a mix of positives and negatives for those coping with the loss of a loved one.

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"I don't know if it would how much it would impede their trajectory forward," said Dr. George Bonanno, a clinical psychiatrist with at Teachers College with Columbia University.