Unit 9
Spotlight
Loving forever: “Eternal You”
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ang1-unit9-spotlight.mp3
In the 1960s, the science-fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke coined a useful adage: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” He was right, as demonstrated by the almost mystical reverence with which people tend to describe artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT. We know it's just software. We even kind of understand how the program works. But because it's so advanced that it feels uncanny – like it knows me – we treat it with veneration and a little fear, as if it is a god and not a creation.
And, increasingly, we turn to A.I. to answer the sorts of questions and fulfill the kinds of longings that religion once solved. That is the topic of the new documentary “Eternal You.” […]
As the title suggests, “Eternal You” is mostly concerned with a very particular use of A.I.: giving users the illusion of talking to their dead loved ones. Large language models trained on the deceased's speech patterns, chat logs and more can be made to imitate that person's way of communicating so well that it feels to the grief-stricken as if they're crossing the border between life and death. Those tools can be comforting, but they're also potentially big business. One of the film's subjects calls it “death capitalism.” […]
The subjects of “Eternal You” range from the bereaved to the skeptical to the software creators. Some people like the experience; others find it deeply disturbing. But what's more interesting are the questions animating the documentary: not whether it's ethical to try to talk to the dead, but whether it's ethical for a software firm to sell that “ability.” […] “Eternal You” isn't really about overcoming death, as it turns out. In a wide-ranging and somewhat rambling manner, it is about humans' desperation to find meaning in life wherever they can, and how companies are rushing to fill that gap and inspire almost religious devotion, even in the professionals making the tools. But it also feels like a warning: That's not your loved one on the other end at all – and it's not magic either.
And, increasingly, we turn to A.I. to answer the sorts of questions and fulfill the kinds of longings that religion once solved. That is the topic of the new documentary “Eternal You.” […]
As the title suggests, “Eternal You” is mostly concerned with a very particular use of A.I.: giving users the illusion of talking to their dead loved ones. Large language models trained on the deceased's speech patterns, chat logs and more can be made to imitate that person's way of communicating so well that it feels to the grief-stricken as if they're crossing the border between life and death. Those tools can be comforting, but they're also potentially big business. One of the film's subjects calls it “death capitalism.” […]
The subjects of “Eternal You” range from the bereaved to the skeptical to the software creators. Some people like the experience; others find it deeply disturbing. But what's more interesting are the questions animating the documentary: not whether it's ethical to try to talk to the dead, but whether it's ethical for a software firm to sell that “ability.” […] “Eternal You” isn't really about overcoming death, as it turns out. In a wide-ranging and somewhat rambling manner, it is about humans' desperation to find meaning in life wherever they can, and how companies are rushing to fill that gap and inspire almost religious devotion, even in the professionals making the tools. But it also feels like a warning: That's not your loved one on the other end at all – and it's not magic either.
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Vidéo associée
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PATH A
B1
1-A
What is the main topic of the “Eternal You” documentary?
2-A
Pick out quotes in the text and trailer showing how people feel about this use of A.I.
3-A
What does the term “death capitalism” refer to?
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PATH B
B1+
1-B
What does the author of the text compare
advanced A.I. to? Why?
2-B
What ethical questions are raised when A.I.
simulates a deceased person?
3-B
What warning can you find in the text and trailer
about humans' desire for immortality and A.I.?
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Let's talk this out!
4
Share your findings. Do you think technologies that give the illusion of immortality are helpful, harmful, or both? Explain your reasoning.
5
Would you use a tool like this to “talk” to a deceased loved one? Why or why not?
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Record a review.
You are a content creator on social media, and the @ForeverOnScreen channel has asked you to share your thoughts on the ethics of immortality on screen. Choose one series or the documentary from this double page, and record a short video in which you briefly introduce the plot, present the technology, explain one ethical question it raises, and share your personal opinion. Speak to your followers and convince them to watch it too!Une erreur sur la page ? Une idée à proposer ?
Nos manuels sont collaboratifs, n'hésitez pas à nous en faire part.
j'ai une idée !
Oups, une coquille
