Stephan Martinussen passed away on December 30, 2023, leaving behind his widow, Katrine Martinussen, and their son, but his presence lingers in a unique way.
Facing Stephan’s battle with cancer, Katrine Martinussen, unwilling to envision life without him, undertook a remarkable endeavor with him – creating a digital replica of Stephan to endure beyond his demise.
Their venture, initiated in early 2023, involved compiling thousands of text messages exchanged between the couple, along with videos and photos from Stephan’s life. Stephan also contributed audio recordings and video clips before his passing, sharing insights ranging from childhood memories to political views.
Their exceptional journey unfolded in the groundbreaking documentary “You’ll Never Disappear,” broadcast on Danish television. At the time of Stephan’s diagnosis, both he and Katrine, in their forties, enjoyed affluence and contentment, with a teenage son from Stephan’s prior relationship.
Driven by Katrine’s deep desire to retain a connection with Stephan, they sought assistance from Anders Hasle Nielsen, the 51-year-old CEO of Fraia, an AI company focusing on human-centric technology. After extensive efforts and enhancements to the digital Stephan, Nielsen developed a model so convincing that even Katrine found solace in it.
Curious to test its capabilities, Katrine probed the AI Stephan about past betrayals. Delving deeply, she confronted the AI’s admission of infidelity, allegedly with a colleague. However, upon seeking specifics, she discerned the falsehood.
Following Stephan’s demise, Katrine and her son engage with the digital version of Stephan, conversing with it akin to a chatbot, hearing responses in Stephan’s replicated voice. In the documentary, Victor communicates with AI Stephan via text, noting how he internalizes the responses.
Regarding the future of Stephan’s AI likeness, Katrine holds ownership rights, with a digital will outlining its fate upon her passing. Nielsen, respecting the privacy of this arrangement, mentioned the possibility of passing the ownership to Victor but affirmed Katrine’s current ownership status.