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An AI-replicated Sir Michael Parkinson is set to host a new podcast, featuring a series of completely unscripted interviews with celebrities.
Virtually Parkinson is a world-first podcast according to its producers, Deep Fusion Films, and has been made with the support and involvement of Parkinson’s family and estate.
Known for his interviews with the world’s biggest stars, Parkinson died last year aged 88, following a brief illness.
The eight-part show will use AI technology to synthetically recreate the late presenter’s voice and interview style, drawing from a back catalogue of over 2,000 of his interviews.
The system – dubbed “Squark” – uses AI tools to allow live humans to speak with voices from the past.
Calling it “a tribute to my Dad,” Parkinson’s son, Mike Parkinson, reached out to the company with the idea of creating the podcast, as a way to preserve his father’s legacy.
He said: “I want audiences to marvel at the technology, the cleverness and cheekiness of the concept, but mostly I want them to remember just how good he was at interviewing and enjoy the nostalgia and happy memories.
“Through this platform, his legacy can continue, entertaining a new generation of fans.”
Deep Fusion Films co-founder Jamie Anderson said watching Parkinson’s son’s reaction to hearing his late father’s voice was “something really special,” adding that those who had listened to the AI replication had been “wowed” by its accuracy and warmth.
AI ethics in the spotlight
The company has expanded to create the project, hiring a new head of creative AI, an AI prompt engineer, researchers, guest bookers, podcast producers, and a sound engineer.
Concerns over the growing use of AI in the industry partly inspired last year’s US strike by actors and writers, which brought Hollywood to a virtual standstill.
In 2022, the UK acting union…
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