Disney Star’s AI App to Chat with the Dead
Disney Channel actor Calum Worthy just launched an app called 2wai that creates digital copies, or “HoloAvatars,” of dead relatives so users can talk to them. The idea has quickly drawn comparisons to the dark TV show Black Mirror.
The details:
- The app can make a speaking, interactive “HoloAvatar” from just a few minutes of recorded video of the person who passed away.
- A video showing an AI grandmother talking to her grandson as he grew up went viral and received thousands of angry comments online.
- The test version of the app is free right now on the Apple App Store, but the company plans to charge a monthly fee soon and expand to Android.
- Critics called the app “demonic” and “evil,” arguing that it preys on people’s sadness and stops them from dealing with their loss naturally.
Why it matters: This app raises huge ethical questions. Setting aside the questions about whether the dead person consented and if it’s right to make money from grief, selling this kind of digital copy as a way to “keep a loved one” feels like it could cause serious emotional problems for users down the line.
Satya Nadella Details Microsoft’s ‘Positive-Sum’ AI Future
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella wrote about the company’s “positive-sum” goal for AI development, meaning AI should lift up the whole economy, not just Microsoft. He also gave an honest interview discussing the future of the industry.
The details:
- Nadella pointed to the new AI superfactory as a great example of “positive-sum” teamwork, showing that working with partners like OpenAI helps everyone grow faster.
- He argues that AI will only be truly successful when the “overall economy and society themselves reach new heights,” not just when tech company values rise.
- He announced that Microsoft is changing its software payment structure from charging “per user” to “per agent” (treating AI systems like customers for infrastructure).
- Under their new deal, Nadella revealed that Microsoft now has access to “all of it” regarding OpenAI’s core technology (except consumer hardware) for seven years.
Why it matters: Nadella is saying the goal of AI shouldn’t be zero-sum—where one company wins and everyone else loses. He wants AI’s success to be measured by how it transforms industries like health and agriculture. The shift to “per agent” pricing reflects a future where AI systems work autonomously, changing how all large software companies will charge for their products.
Anthropic Tests Claude as a Robot Coding Coach
Anthropic held a one-day test called “Project Fetch” to see if their AI, Claude, could help people with no robotics experience program a robot dog to fetch a beach ball. The results show AI can bridge the expert gap quickly.
The details:
- Two teams of Anthropic staff who were not robotics experts raced to program the four-legged robots.
- Team Claude used the AI model to translate regular English instructions into robot code, while the other team went “Claude-less.”
- The AI-assisted team was much faster at connecting to the robot’s sensors, fixing problems, and building a system that let them command the robot using simple language.
- The unassisted team got their robot moving but spent critical time fixing basic errors, while the Claude-equipped team was already teaching their robot tricks.
Why it matters: If regular people can program complicated physical robots just by talking to an AI, it means that robot development could open up to a massive new group of innovators. While the beach ball test was a simple one-day experiment, it’s a strong proof that conversational AI can remove the need for specialized coding knowledge in the world of physical machines.
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Jigar Chaudhary is the Editor-in-Chief at UrviumAI, where he oversees coverage of artificial intelligence news, tools, and in-depth studies. With over 5 years of experience analyzing AI and robotics, he focuses on maintaining high editorial standards, accurate reporting, and clear explanations to help readers understand how AI is shaping the future.
