Dutch professor with terminal cancer creates AI version of himself to lecture after death
AMSTERDAM — Jan Rotmans, a 65-year-old Dutch professor of transition studies living with metastatic prostate cancer, is developing an AI-powered digital twin to preserve his research and continue delivering lectures after his death. Dutch public broadcaster NOS reported that he is believed to be the first Dutch professor to create such an AI twin. The…
AMSTERDAM — Jan Rotmans, a 65-year-old Dutch professor of transition studies living with metastatic prostate cancer, is developing an AI-powered digital twin to preserve his research and continue delivering lectures after his death. Dutch public broadcaster NOS reported that he is believed to be the first Dutch professor to create such an AI twin.
The digital version will be trained on Rotmans’ books, hundreds of scientific publications and recorded lectures. Recordings of his voice, image and facial expressions have already been completed, and the first online version is expected to be available by the end of 2026.
The project is being developed by Dutch studio The Synths, which previously created a digital likeness of former footballer Ruud Gullit. Developers also plan to build a hologram capable of appearing on stage and addressing audiences.
Rotmans said the AI twin is not intended to replace him personally, but to keep his knowledge accessible to future generations. He acknowledged that the system could generate inaccurate information or statements he would not endorse, and said it would undergo extensive testing before public release.
Radboud University AI professor Iris van Rooij criticized the project as an undesirable development, warning that users could mistakenly attribute human qualities such as emotions and intelligence to such systems. Rotmans said he accepts the risks because his aim is to preserve his research for the future.
