Beloved sitcom legend lives on thanks to husband’s heartfelt tribute and modern innovation

The blonde bombshell who made millions laugh as the lovably ditzy Chrissy Snow on Three's Company may have passed away in 2023, but Suzanne Somers is about to have a remarkable second act.

Her husband of 46 years, Alan Hamel, has been quietly working on something that would have seemed like pure science fiction when they first discussed it back in the 1980s—an artificial intelligence clone of his late wife.

As Hamel told People magazine, 'Suzanne was greatly loved, not only by her family, but by millions of people,' and he now has 'a unique plan to keep her memory alive.'

Somers passed away peacefully at home on 15 October 2023, after surviving an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years, surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce, and her immediate family.

She was just one day shy of her 77th birthday, but thanks to cutting-edge technology, her voice and wisdom may continue to help people for years to come.

The couple, who were married for 55 years, first explored the idea of creating a digital version of Suzanne after learning about emerging AI concepts from computer scientist and futurist Ray Kurzweil.

The star who changed television forever

For those who grew up watching television in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Suzanne Somers was more than just an actress—she was a cultural phenomenon. She played Chrissy Snow on Three's Company from 1977-1981, and the iconic sitcom debuted on 15 March 1977, vaulting Somers into stardom alongside her television roommates John Ritter and Joyce DeWitt.

The show's premise was simple: three single roommates sharing an apartment, with Ritter's character pretending to be gay to satisfy their conservative landlord. But Three's Company was a hit, running for eight seasons between 1977 and 1984 and spawning several spinoff series. It also made Somers a sex symbol and household name.

A trailblazer who paid the price

What many fans didn't know at the time was that behind the scenes, Somers was fighting a battle that would define her career and inspire countless women in the entertainment industry. When Somers first signed on to the show, she agreed to a $3,500 per week salary to play the bubbly Chrissy. As the show gained traction, her salary climbed, and soon, she was making $30,000 a week.

But there was a significant problem. She was paid all of $30,000 an episode, or about 20 percent of the $150,000 Ritter was making. Before the show's fifth season, Somers famously demanded a raise from $30,000 an episode to $150,000, equal to what male co-star John Ritter reportedly was making then.

The network's response was swift and brutal. The show's response was, 'Who do you think you are? They said, 'John Ritter is the star.' When producers refused her request, Somers claimed health issues and declined to appear in two show episodes. Despite her popularity, her role was drastically reduced for the remainder of the season and she was fired when the season ended in 1981.

The phoenix rises from the ashes

Rather than let this setback define her, Somers did what she did best—she reinvented herself. Soon she was starring in a Las Vegas production with 13 dancers and a 27-piece orchestra, performing a lively revue with classic stage songs like 'Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.' And in 1987, she was named Las Vegas Entertainer of the Year along with Frank Sinatra.

Her most iconic reinvention came in the 1990s when she became the face of the ThighMaster exercise equipment. In 1990, Somers became the commercial spokesperson for the Thighmaster, a piece of personal exercise equipment meant to be squeezed between one's thighs to develop leg and hip strength. While the ubiquitous infomercials, featuring Somers in heels and a leotard, were widely lampooned, the product was a success, selling millions of units and earning Somers induction into the Direct Marketing Response Alliance Hall of Fame.

But Somers' greatest success may have been as an author and health advocate. Somers wrote more than 25 books, including two autobiographies, four diet books, and a book of poetry. She published 25 books after she started cranking them out in the late 1990s, mostly self-help tomes on subjects like dieting and relationships, several of which landed on the New York Times bestseller list.

The AI twin decades in the making

This brings us to the remarkable project that Alan Hamel has been working on. Speaking to People magazine, Hamel revealed that the concept of creating an AI version of Suzanne isn't a recent idea born from grief—it's something they've been discussing for decades.

'We have been friends with Ray Kurzweil. Bill Gates described Ray Kurzweil as the smartest man on the planet, which he is,' Hamel explained. 'And he became our friend 30-some years ago and we talked about this. We knew it was coming. It took decades to happen, but he knew it was going to happen, and he shared that information with us.'

The project wasn't Hamel's idea either. 'So it was Suzanne's idea,' he emphasised. 'And she said, 'I think we should do that.' 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.''

How the technology works

The AI clone has been meticulously trained using an extensive archive of Suzanne's work and thoughts. 'The AI clone was trained using all of Suzanne's 27 books and a lot of interviews that she has done, hundreds of interviews, so that she's really ready to be able to be asked any question at all and be able to answer it, because the answer will be within her.'

Hamel has already shared a demonstration of the AI twin at a conference earlier this year, saying it was 'so realistic that when you look at the finished one next to the real Suzanne, you can’t tell the difference.'

Hamel demonstrated the technology earlier this year at a conference, and the results were startling. 'It was Suzanne,' he said, 'And I asked her a few questions and she answered them, and it blew me and everybody else away. When you look at the finished one next to the real Suzanne, you can't tell the difference.'

From family concerns to full support

Initially, Hamel was worried about how the family would react to the project. The idea of creating an AI version of a deceased loved one raises complex emotional and ethical questions that many families might struggle with.

'I wasn't sure how they would take it,' Hamel admitted. But the family's response surprised him. 'We've talked about it a lot. And they said, 'We're going to get to the point where it's not going to seem weird, and it'll just be another way to communicate with people we cared about.''

The younger generation's acceptance was particularly encouraging. 'I'm glad to hear that from my family because I wasn't sure how they would take it, but they're all young and very successful, and they thought this would be a great tribute to Suzanne herself.'

A service born from love

The motivation behind the project goes far beyond technology or novelty. As Hamel explained, 'Obviously, Suzanne was greatly loved, not only by her family, but by millions of people. One of the projects that we have coming up is a really interesting project, the Suzanne AI Twin.'

The focus on health information is particularly poignant given Suzanne's 23-year battle with breast cancer and her extensive advocacy for alternative health approaches. Throughout her later career, she was passionate about helping people take control of their health and wellbeing, sometimes controversially promoting bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and alternative cancer treatments.

'She said, 'Let's do it.' So that's the reason we did it. And so I love being able to fulfill her wish,' Hamel shared.

What this means for the future

The Suzanne Somers AI twin represents more than just technological innovation—it's a glimpse into how we might preserve and interact with the wisdom of loved ones who have passed away. For fans who relied on Suzanne's books and advice for health guidance, this technology could provide continued access to her accumulated knowledge and unique perspective.

For the broader senior community, this development raises fascinating questions about digital legacy and how technology might help us maintain connections with those we've lost. As AI technology becomes more sophisticated, we may see more families and public figures exploring similar projects.

Ethical considerations worth pondering

While the technology is remarkable, it's worth considering the ethical implications. Questions arise about consent (though Suzanne clearly supported the project), authenticity, and the psychological impact of interacting with AI versions of deceased individuals. Mental health professionals suggest that while such technology could provide comfort, it shouldn't replace traditional grief processing and healing.

There's also the question of accuracy—while the AI is trained on Suzanne's extensive body of work, it's important to remember that it's an interpretation of her thoughts and beliefs, not the person herself.