The new AI app 2Wai launches a service in which users can create interactive digital avatars of deceased loved ones. The company claims that in just three minutes of video footage, the app can build a “HoloAvatar” that looks and speaks like the reconstructions.
The app is developed by a startup co-founded by actor Calum Worthy (formerly of Austin & Ally) and producer Russell Geyser.
Their slogan: “What if the loved ones we’ve lost could be part of our future?”
How does new AI app 2Wai work?
- Users upload a short video (just minutes long) of the person they wish to recreate. The app’s engine uses that footage, along with audio and text prompts, to build a conversational avatar
- The avatar supports live (or near-live) interaction in multiple languages (reportedly over 40).
- The company says it uses on-device processing (“FedBrain”) to keep data local and reduce “hallucinations” (false or spurious AI responses).
- Currently the iOS version is in beta, with an Android launch promised.
- The business model: Free beta now, transitioning to a subscription model later.
Why the new AI app 2Wai is drawing massive attention
A novel grief-tech service
The idea of “resurrecting” a loved one via a digital avatar is still uncommon, making the new AI app 2Wai a particularly striking entry. It touches on themes of memory, mourning, and legacy in a new way.
Viral marketing
The promotional video (featuring a pregnant woman consulting her digital grandmother, then years later her grown son speaking to the same avatar) has been viewed millions of times.
Ethical, emotional and cultural implications
Given the sensitivities around grief and death, the new AI app 2Wai has triggered intense debate. Many consider it disturbing, raising questions about the boundaries of AI and human emotion.
Key concerns with the new AI app 2Wai
Consent & post-mortem rights
One major concern: Was the deceased person’s consent obtained? The app’s ability to “speak” for them raises legal and ethical risks.
Grief processing & mental-health risk
Psychologists warn that simulating conversations with the dead may disrupt natural grieving processes, or give false hope. Some users on social media call the service “nightmare fuel”.
Commercialisation of loss
Critics argue the new AI app 2Wai monetises grief: Subscriptions to keep talking to the avatar might turn emotional pain into revenue.
Technical realism vs expectations
Early feedback suggests the avatars may not always perform realistically — user tests found clunky responses and limited engagement.
Legal & regulatory gaps
There are few laws governing post-humous AI avatars. U.S. state laws like California’s AB 1836 cover deceased performers, but non-celebrities are less protected.
Broader context: Where new AI app 2Wai fits in tech & society
- The grief-tech sector has been growing: interactive legacy bots, AI memorials and avatars are emerging tools for remembrance. The new AI app 2Wai exemplifies this trend. Decrypt
- It also enters the ethical debate about human-AI interaction: What does it mean to “talk” to a version of someone who has passed? Does it help closure or hinder it?
- Comparisons abound to the sci-fi show Black Mirror. Many users have likened the new AI app 2Wai’s concept to the episode “Be Right Back”.
What should users consider before using the new AI app 2Wai?
- Verify consent: Ensure any avatar created of a deceased person has proper permission from their estate or family.
- Manage expectations: The promotional visuals may set high expectations — real-world performance might not match.
- Think about emotional impact: Consider whether such an avatar will aid your grief process or complicate it.
- Privacy & data ownership: Understand what happens to the uploaded footage, voice, data and avatar once created.
- Cost model: While the beta may be free, subscription fees later could impose ongoing emotional and financial cost.
Final take
The new AI app 2Wai represents a bold, provocative leap into the convergence of AI, memory and mourning. It offers an unprecedented way to interact with digital versions of people we’ve lost — a concept both fascinating and deeply contentious.
Whether it becomes a meaningful tool for remembrance or a problematic commercialisation of grief depends on ethical guardrails, user awareness and societal norms.
For now, it stands as a striking example of how technology is redefining what “presence” can mean after death.
