Digital Immortality. Lecture at the Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art

Name: Human, Art, Legacy, Virtuality: On the Threshold of Digital Immortality
Start: 2023-12-24
Location: Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art

Vladimir Opredelenov
May 4
2 min read

For nearly a decade, I have found myself returning to a single question regarding memory and legacy: what truly remains of a person after they pass — and is it possible to preserve more than we currently know how?

The question feels timeless, yet today it carries a new weight. For the first time in history, we possess technology that doesn't just archive memories; it allows us to reconstruct an individual as a thinking, speaking, and reacting digital entity. This shifts more than just our capabilities — it challenges our very understanding of what it means to live and to die.

I shared my reflections on these themes on December 24th at the Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art in Haifa, during a lecture titled "Human, Art, Legacy, Virtuality: On the Threshold of Digital Immortality" (in russian language). To my surprise, the event became one of the museum's largest public gatherings in the last three months, with over 60 people in attendance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd1eY4S0o1g

During the lecture, I discussed how humanity has sought immortality for millennia — through descendants, religion, art, science, and architecture. I also explored how, with the rise of artificial intelligence and digital technology, this ancient pursuit has taken on a fundamentally new character. I presented the first version of a data model for a human digital twin — a framework designed to store not just a biography, but the essence of a personality: memories, reactions, cognitive patterns, and communication styles.

Currently, a digital twin is viewed as an object. However, in this field, the boundary between object and subject is thinner than it seems. That is precisely where the most intriguing questions arise.

The topic sparked significant interest and a flurry of questions, leading to an extended, lively discussion with the audience long after the lecture had officially ended.