Two years after the death of actress Suzanne Somers, her husband, Alan Hamel, is finding a new way to preserve her legacy. Somers, who died in 2023 at age 76 after a long battle with breast cancer, left behind decades of work as an actress, author and health advocate. Now, Hamel is channeling their shared fascination with technology into a project they once imagined together — a digital “AI twin” of Somers.
Hamel, a former television host and producer, has spent months working with developers to create an artificial intelligence version of his late wife, designed to reflect her voice, personality and extensive body of work. The “Suzanne AI Twin” draws on her 27 published books and hundreds of recorded interviews to replicate the way she spoke and the subjects she cared most about, particularly wellness and health. Hamel describes the project as an interactive experience through which Somers’ fans will be able to ask questions and receive responses based on verified material from her own words and interviews with medical experts.
The idea, Hamel explains, was not born from grief but from a long-standing curiosity about artificial intelligence. He and Somers first learned about the technology decades ago through futurist and inventor Ray Kurzweil, a friend they had met in the 1980s. Kurzweil’s early predictions about the evolution of AI fascinated the couple, who saw its potential to preserve knowledge and personality beyond a person’s lifetime. Somers believed that one day, such technology could allow her to continue sharing information and encouragement with her readers and fans. Hamel says fulfilling that vision is his way of honoring her wishes.
Earlier this year, Hamel demonstrated a prototype of the AI at a conference, describing the experience as both moving and uncanny. After decades together, he said the likeness felt remarkably authentic, so much so that it was hard to distinguish the real Somers from her digital counterpart. He adds that the technology’s realism stems from the depth of data collected from Somers’ own words and career, rather than from fabricated content.
Hamel acknowledges that some people may find the concept of AI recreations unsettling, but he believes the project offers comfort and continuity. His family, initially uncertain about the idea, has since embraced it as a fitting tribute. Eventually, Hamel plans to host the AI twin on SuzanneSomers.com, allowing visitors to interact with it and revisit the ideas that defined her life’s work.
For Hamel, the Suzanne AI Twin is more than a technological experiment — it is an expression of devotion and a fulfillment of a vision that he and Somers shared. After more than half a century together, he says the project ensures that Somers’ voice and spirit will continue to reach people for generations, blending innovation with remembrance in a way she envisioned long before it was possible. Though colleagues at the Kennedy Center were hesitant when he proposed that the AI accept an honor on her behalf, Hamel believes the project celebrates innovation and love in equal measure.
Sources: People, Futurism, CNN
