New Delhi, April 12 -- A deeply emotional, as well as controversial, use of artificial intelligence (AI) has come to light in China. A family created a digital version of a dead man to comfort his aged mother.

The incident, originally reported by Litchi News, involves a family from Shandong province. After the man died in a road accident last year, his family chose not to inform his mother.

The mother is in her 80s and suffers from heart disease. Fearing the shock could harm her health, they turned to an AI team led by Zhang Zewei.

Using photos, videos and voice recordings, the team built a highly-realistic digital twin of the deceased man. The AI version not only looks like him but also copies his speaking style and small habits. It e...