Nearly two years after actress Suzanne Somers passed away, her husband Alan Hamel is bringing her back in the form of AI.
The former television producer recently revealed Suzanne AI Twin, a lifelike digital replica developed using archived interviews, books, and footage from Somers' decades-long career.
This one-of-a-kind creation, made possible through a partnership between Realbotix Corp and Hollo.AI, aims to immortalize the Three’s Company star.
“It Was Suzanne”: Alan Hamel on Meeting His Wife’s AI Twin
Hamel unveiled a demo version of the robot earlier this year at a conference in Dana Point, California, where he interacted with the AI publicly for the first time.
“It was Suzanne. I asked her a few questions, and she answered them, and it blew me and everybody else away,” Hamel told PEOPLE. “When you look at the finished one next to the real Suzanne, you can't tell the difference. It's amazing.”
The AI Suzanne has been meticulously trained to reflect the real one — not only physically but intellectually. The team behind her fed the AI all 27 of Somers’ published books and “hundreds of interviews” she conducted over the years.
“I’ve been with Suzanne for 55 years, so I know what her face looks like, and when I just look at the two of them side by side, I really can’t tell which one is the real and which one is the AI,” Hamel added.
Suzanne Inspired the Project Herself
Although some might see the idea as unconventional, Hamel insists the idea came from Somers herself. He said they discussed the concept as early as the 1980s after meeting inventor and AI expert Ray Kurzweil.
“It was Suzanne’s idea,” he said. “She said, ‘I think it'll be very interesting, and we’ll provide a service to my fans and to people who have been reading my books who really want and need information about their health. So that’s the reason we did it.’”
The AI will soon be made publicly available, giving fans a chance to ask questions and even seek health guidance based on the interviews and knowledge Somers collected over the years.
“There’ll be people who will ask her about their health issues, and Suzanne will be able to answer them,” Hamel said. “Not Suzanne’s version of the answer, but it’ll go directly to the doctor she interviewed for that very issue, so it’ll be coming from an MD.”
He noted that all content was verified by the supplement brand Life Extension. “The last thing we wanted was to have any issues about providing interviews about people’s health issues that were incorrect,” he said.
“Do You Remember Me?”: AI Suzanne’s Emotional Debut
In a video shared by Us Weekly, Hamel is seen sitting beside the blonde-haired robot, which was dressed in a white shirt, black blazer, and skirt — a nod to Suzanne’s ‘70s style.
He leaned in and asked: “Do you remember me? Does the name Alan Hamel mean anything to you?”
“Of course I do, Alan Hamel was my wonderful husband of 55 years. He’s my partner in everything from life to love and we’ve shared so many beautiful memories together,” the AI replied.
When asked about her favorite memory, the robot recalled a candid moment: “One of my favorites was when Alan and I were filming a cooking segment together a long time ago.
"We had a little mishap with the blender. Let’s just say it didn’t go as planned and we ended up with wearing more of the smoothie than we actually made. We laughed so hard and it became a running joke in our house. It’s those light-hearted moments that really bring us closer together.”
Somers passed away on October 15, 2023, one day before her 77th birthday, following a long battle with breast cancer.
She had first been diagnosed in 2000 and underwent various treatments, including lumpectomy, radiation, and even stem cell therapy. The cancer returned in 2023 and eventually metastasized to her brain.
Hamel remembered Suzanne as “an amazing, amazing woman,” saying she was “an amazing wife and an amazing mother” who “pulled our family together.”