‘I’ve passed over him plenty’: AI gives Hong Kong boy grieving for uninteresting brother chance to reconnect

A Virtual Bridge to a Lost Childhood

Morris’s encounter with the AI-generated version of his brother was deeply emotional. He broke down in tears upon interacting with the virtual Yat-lai, revealing the powerful impact of this technology on his grieving process. Morris expressed regret for not spending more time with his brother, saying, “I’ve passed over him plenty.” The virtual environment allowed him to imagine playing hide and seek, basketball, and swimming with Yat-lai—activities they never shared in real life.

This experience was part of the Goals*2Gather programme, run by the non-profit Treasure Our Children Foundation. The initiative helps young patients fulfill wishes that might be impossible due to their health conditions. By leveraging volunteers and tech companies, the programme creates AI versions of deceased loved ones, enabling families to reconnect in a new and meaningful way.

The Emotional Impact on Family and the Role of Grief Management

Morris’s mother described the virtual interaction as a significant emotional breakthrough. She was moved to tears herself, noting that despite the passage of time since Yat-lai’s death, the love Morris felt for his brother remained strong. She chose to portray Yat-lai as a toddler learning to walk, symbolizing the next stage of life he never reached.

The family’s grief was compounded by the circumstances of Yat-lai’s illness and death. His autoimmune disease was only diagnosed after months of inconclusive medical tests and prolonged pneumonia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social distancing measures meant only his parents could visit him in the hospital, and they decided not to inform the wider family about his critical condition to spare them distress. This decision, however, left lingering regrets, especially for Morris, who missed the chance to be with his brother in his final moments.

Morris himself was enrolled in grief management sessions at a clinic, highlighting the importance of psychological support for children coping with loss. The virtual interaction with Yat-lai complemented these efforts by providing an alternative way to process grief and maintain a connection.

Technological Innovation Behind the Virtual Reunions

The creation of the AI and VR experiences involved a multidisciplinary team of engineers, entrepreneurs, and volunteers. For instance, Professor Lee Tan from the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s engineering faculty led the reconstruction of a deceased mother’s voice using AI. His startup, Vocofy AI, developed a text-to-speech model that preserves the unique voices of people who have lost the ability to speak.

Entrepreneur Tom Tong Kwun-wah focused on creating accurate facial expressions, while Lawrence Cheung Cheong-ming from HTC’s virtual reality division built the immersive virtual environment. The team faced challenges, such as adapting mouth movements to match Cantonese pronunciations, which required specialized adjustments since most speech synthesis tools are designed for English.

Despite technical hurdles like working with limited audio recordings, the team prioritized the emotional authenticity of the experience over perfect engineering. Professor Lee emphasized that improving technological precision does not necessarily enhance the emotional value for families. The goal was to capture the essence of the loved ones’ voices and expressions to foster meaningful interactions.

Ethical Considerations and the Future of AI in Grief Support

While the technology offers powerful new ways to connect with deceased loved ones, it also raises ethical questions. Professor Lee’s team generally declines requests to recreate voices or likenesses without clear consent due to moral concerns. In this case, the family’s informed consent and the daughters’ heartfelt story motivated the team to proceed.

The use of AI and VR in grief support is still in its early stages, and balancing technological capabilities with respect for privacy and emotional well-being remains crucial. As these tools become more accessible, they may transform how families remember and interact with those they have lost, providing comfort and closure in ways previously unimaginable.

Moreover, initiatives like Goals*2Gather demonstrate how technology can be harnessed compassionately to fulfill wishes and support emotional healing, especially for young patients facing serious health challenges.

What this means

The intersection of AI, virtual reality, and grief support offers promising new avenues for emotional healing and memory preservation. For Morris Kwok and his family, the chance to interact with a virtual version of his late brother provided a poignant and comforting experience that traditional grief counseling alone could not offer. As technology continues to evolve, balancing innovation with ethical sensitivity will be key to ensuring these tools serve the genuine needs of those coping with loss. Programs like Goals*2Gather illustrate the potential to harness technology compassionately, offering hope and connection in the face of profound grief.