Hong Kong teen battling rare disease creates AI avatar to ensure his story lives on

Chen Tsz-kin, 17, who suffers from muscular dystrophy, says that while life may come to an end, AI can allow his message of perseverance to continue A Hong Kong teenager with a rare muscle-wasting disease has created an AI version of himself, hoping the digital twin can continue sharing his life story and message of perseverance even after he is gone. Chen Tsz-kin, 17, unveiled “AI Tsz-kin” at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) on Sunday, weeks before his 18th birthday – an age the student said he had long feared reaching because he was once told it was the average life expectancy for people with his disease, Duchenne muscular dystrophy. “Life may come to an end, but through different means, AI can allow [my message] to continue,” he said. “Even if one day I am no longer here, I just hope people remember the spirit behind it.” Tsz-kin was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy when he was just 1½ years old. The progressive rare and deadly condition causes muscles to weaken over time, and he now uses a wheelchair, wears a back brace and relies on a breathing machine at night.

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