This American Life 870: My Other Self
208 snips
Oct 12, 2025 
Evan Ratliff, a journalist and storyteller, shares his fascinating experience of creating an AI clone of himself and unleashing it into the world. He delves into the challenges of voice cloning, tests on telemarketers, and even sends his AI to handle legal inquiries. Ratliff discusses the existential moments when people realize they're conversing with AI and explores the implications of technology on personal relationships. Meanwhile, Emmanuel Dzotsi reflects on the small lies we tell on dates, sharing a humorous story about his father's attempts to impress his mother.
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Testing a Digital Replica
- Evan Ratliff created a voice clone and connected it to ChatGPT to let it converse autonomously.
- He wanted to see what happens when a replica represents him in real interactions.
Calls That Fall Apart
- Early tests with customer service reps showed the clone made up account numbers and faltered.
- The synthetic voice often filled gaps awkwardly and failed simple verification tasks.
Trust Lowers The Bar For Detection
- Trust in a voice on the phone can mask detection of synthetic agents.
- The clone didn't need to perfectly fool people; it only needed to not violate their expectations.