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A gaming company in Shandong, China, has sparked a massive debate after it transformed a former employee into an AI-powered 'digital worker' to continue his duties
The employee, who previously worked as a human resources (HR) specialist, reportedly gave his consent to the experiment.
According to South China Morning Post, his avatar now handles routine tasks like answering inquiries, scheduling appointments, and creating PowerPoint presentations.
Image for illustration purposes only.
Image via NSTP/MOHAMAD SHAHRIL BADRI SAALIA staff member identified as Xiaoyu revealed that the digital clone even introduces itself in a chat window.
"Hello, I am the digital avatar of a former employee. You can ask me questions at any time," the AI avatar stated.
The 'digital worker' was trained using the employee's own documents.
Xiaoyu explained that the company, which has over 100 employees, is currently testing whether routine tasks can be handled by AI.
"Yesterday, we were joking around together, and today he becomes an AI," Xiaoyu told Henan Daily Newspaper Group.
Image for illustration purposes only.
Image via New Straits TimesWhile the project is currently internal, the company plans to develop humanoid robot employees for reception and office guidance in the future
However, legal experts have raised concerns about privacy and data rights.
Fu Jian, director of Henan Zejin Law Firm, warned that using an employee's personal work habits for AI training without clear permission could infringe upon privacy rights in China.
"In particularly serious cases, the sentence may range from three to seven years, along with a fine," Fu added.
Social media users on Weibo were quick to question why a resigning employee would ever agree to such a deal
One person asked: "Absurd. The employee is already leaving. Why would he still agree to this?"
Others suggested the former specialist should be entitled to ongoing copyright fees for his digital likeness.
