Suzanne Somers was always ahead of the curve. Long before she was the ThighMaster queen or a wellness mogul, she was a sitcom icon who knew exactly how to pivot. But her latest pivot is happening without her—sorta.
It’s been over two years since she passed away from breast cancer in October 2023, yet her husband, Alan Hamel, isn't ready to let the conversation end. He’s built a Suzanne Somers AI clone, or what he prefers to call her "AI Twin." Honestly, it’s the kind of thing that makes you do a double-take. Is it a touching tribute or a Black Mirror episode come to life?
People are divided. Some fans find it comforting to think they can still get health advice from their favorite star. Others think it’s just plain weird to turn a late spouse into a digital avatar.
The 40-Year Plan Nobody Saw Coming
Most people think this AI stuff is brand new. It’s not.
Alan Hamel recently revealed to People that he and Suzanne started talking about this back in the 1980s. They were friends with Ray Kurzweil, the famous futurist who basically predicted the rise of artificial intelligence decades ago. Kurzweil told them that one day, technology would allow people to "live" forever in a digital format.
Suzanne didn't just listen; she was all in.
She told Alan, "I think we should do that." She saw it as a way to keep her mission going. She spent the latter half of her life obsessed with health, biohacking, and alternative medicine. To her, a digital twin wasn't about ego. It was about making sure her 27 books and hundreds of doctor interviews didn't just gather dust on a shelf.
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How the Suzanne Somers AI Clone Actually Works
This isn't just a chatbot with a photo. It’s a massive data project.
The team at Hollo.AI and Realbotix (the folks who make those hyper-realistic robots) fed every single word Suzanne ever wrote into a large language model.
- 27 Health and Wellness Books: Every tip, every recipe, and every controversial take.
- Hundreds of Interviews: They used decades of audio and video to capture her specific cadence and "Suzanne-isms."
- Medical Fact-Checking: Because she gave a lot of health advice, the AI's responses are being cross-referenced with Life Extension, a company that employs actual doctors.
Alan says he’s seen a demo where the AI sits right next to a photo of the real Suzanne. He claims he can’t tell the difference. That’s a bold statement coming from a guy who was married to her for 55 years.
But it’s not just a screen. There is a physical component. At a conference earlier in 2025, Hamel showed off a robotic version of the twin. It looks like her Three's Company character, Chrissy Snow. It talks. It blinks. It even remembers personal details about their relationship.
The Weird Factor: Grief or Innovation?
Let’s be real for a second. The internet isn't exactly sold on this.
When the news broke, Reddit and social media went into a bit of a tailspin. Critics called it "Pet Sematary AI edition" and "deeply unsettling." There is a legitimate fear that we’re moving into a world where we don't let people truly rest.
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Alan Hamel isn't bothered by the noise. He’s 89 now and sees this as his final gift to her. He even tried to get the Kennedy Center to honor the AI version of Suzanne, arguing that "the future is now." They said no, sticking to the "must be a living human" rule, but you have to admire the guy's persistence.
The family is apparently on board, too. Alan says his kids and grandkids think it’s a great tribute. They’re "young and successful," in his words, and they don't see the "weirdness" that older generations might. They see a living archive.
What This Means for Fans
So, what can you actually do with this? Eventually, the plan is to host the AI twin on SuzanneSomers.com.
Imagine you’re struggling with a health issue or just miss her vibe. You go to the site, and there she is. You can ask her questions 24/7. It’s essentially a personalized, interactive search engine built entirely out of Suzanne’s life work.
If you want a specific hormone therapy recommendation she once talked about, the AI will pull the exact quote from the doctor she interviewed in 2005. It’s efficient, sure. But is it her?
The Real Tech Behind the Scenes
The partnership with Realbotix is what makes this stand out from other celebrity AI projects. Realbotix specializes in humanoid robots with silicone skin that mimics human texture. These things have miniature motors in the face to handle expressions. It's high-end tech that costs anywhere from $10,000 to over $175,000.
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While most of us will just interact with the web version, the existence of a physical "Suzanne" robot raises the stakes for the entire estate-management industry.
Why This Matters Right Now
Suzanne Somers isn't the first, and she won't be the last. We’ve seen holograms of Tupac and Whitney Houston. We’ve heard "new" Beatles songs finished by AI.
But this feels different because it was consensual.
The biggest ethical hurdle with AI clones is usually the "did they want this?" question. In this case, the answer is a documented "yes." Suzanne was a pioneer in a lot of ways—some would say a controversial one—and she wanted her brand to outlive her physical body.
Actionable Takeaways for the Digital Age
If you’re fascinated by this or even a little worried about how your own digital legacy looks, here’s what you should consider:
- Check Your Digital Footprint: Most of us leave behind enough data to build a "mini-twin" whether we want to or not.
- Define Your Wishes: Just like a traditional will, "digital legacies" are becoming a thing. If you don't want an AI version of yourself answering emails in 2050, you might want to put that in writing.
- Evaluate the Source: When interacting with celebrity AI, always check who owns the data. For the Suzanne AI, it’s her estate and Alan Hamel, ensuring a certain level of "brand" consistency.
- Watch the Space: Follow companies like Hollo.AI and Realbotix. They are setting the standard for how "digital resurrection" will work for the masses, not just the famous.
The Suzanne Somers AI clone is a massive experiment in how we remember the people we love. Whether it’s a beautiful tribute or a step too far, it’s definitely Suzanne: bold, slightly controversial, and impossible to ignore.