Russians spending thousands of roubles on AI photos and videos to resurrect dead soldiers

Families of Russian soldiers who died in combat during the Ukraine war are getting AI-generated photos and videos made of them, triggering a debate over the ethical complexities. These include fictional billboards, based on the idea of these soldiers returning home after the war is over. A popular blogger named Katya Jin recently posted a 15-second AI video showing a Russian soldier returning home to his family. Even Jin's own husband was fighting in the "special operation" and has been missing, and the AI video is apparently based on her. These photos and videos are being posted by the relatives of soldiers who have either died or have disappeared, and have left Ukrainians appalled, the BBC reported. These photos and videos mostly show the dead soldiers as heroes, with angel wings, leaving for paradise. While they could be a source of comfort for grieving families, some of whom also keep deepfakes featuring the deceased at funerals, most Ukrainians are appalled to see such content online.

This "digital afterlife" industry has turned into a profitable venture for people making them. Content creators are charging anywhere from 200 roubles ($2.77) to 10,000 roubles ($138) per video. The bigger creators can earn up to 200,000 roubles ($2,800) a month, almost double the average Russian wage. This has led to criticism that they are capitalising on raw grief. Katya Jin used her own story to reach out to others, who are now ordering similar photos and videos.

Russia avoids talking about human loss in Ukraine war

A majority of these photos focus on soldiers who have died on the frontline. A total of 225,000 Russian soldiers are believed to have died in the four years of the conflict, and the number could be higher. The administration has received flak for the massive human loss, yet has avoided the topic publicly. However, the videos focus on patriotism and use AI to paint the soldiers as heroes who died for their country. The photos and videos depict them often as a man in uniform, embracing his family and descending up the stairs to heaven.