From Slashdot’s No Peace even in Death department, we learn that Panasonic plans to resurrect the company’s founder and long-time COO Kōnosuke Matsushita (松下 幸之助) as a digital clone, rebuilding his personality, leadership and decision making skills, revered as by the above title in business circles in Japan and beyond for creating the largest and enduring consumer electronics company in the country, with AI informed by Matsushita’s writing, recorded speeches, meeting minutes and notes. Having died in 1989 and with a generation mentored by the originator aging out themselves, Panasonic hopes that Matsushita will continue to be able to inspire and develop those who never got the chance to interact with him personally. What do you think? The verdict is still out on these sort of doppelgängers, whether they are effective beyond a compelling, cloying sense of nostalgia (especially in terms of running a large corporation) but one has to wonder about the ethical responsibility (see previously) of bringing one back from the dead without say in the matter—especially that of a god. Is it letting the genie out of the bottle or indenturing one’s restive soul?
synchronoptica
one year ago: Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year (with synchronoptica), the Origin and Evolution of the Palestine Problem (1978) plus a Bansky mural demolished
seven years ago: JFK’s undelivered speech plus artist Pepe Cruz Novillo
eight years ago: assorted links to revisit, the Stout Scarab plus bus fare in exchange for ads
nine years ago: a visit to Vienna
ten years ago: kingship and coinage plus the comics of Ruben Bolling