The loss of a young, gifted individual is always heartbreaking, and Dražen Petrović is one such case that continues to resonate with basketball fans worldwide. Dražen, who would have turned 60 this year, tragically lost his life far too soon. Recently, we celebrated his memory in a sold-out event at Arena Zagreb, where his legacy was honored in a way that was both moving and futuristic.

If you're unfamiliar with Dražen Petrović, you’re in for a history lesson. Petrović was a Croatian basketball legend who first made his mark in Europe, dominating the Yugoslav and Spanish leagues in the 1980s. After transitioning to the NBA, he became a standout player for the New Jersey Nets, renowned for his sharpshooting and fierce competitiveness. Tragically, his life and career ended in 1993 when he died in a car accident at just 28, but his impact on the game and his role as a trailblazer for European players in the NBA still resonates today.

Last week, a community of those who still love this ‘Mozart of Basketball’ gathered to celebrate his memory. NBA players, former teammates, coaches, and fans came together to honor the athlete and the kind-hearted person behind the talent. It was a powerful testament to the enduring impact of Dražen Petrović.

Now, why is this blog discussing a basketball event, especially one from the past? What made this event particularly remarkable wasn’t just the tribute but how it was done. Before the game, Dražen Petrović appeared on the court once again—dribbling a basketball, thanking the crowd, and making his presence felt. It moved the entire arena to tears, and yet, Dražen wasn’t really there.

The crowd witnessed an AI hologram of Dražen Petrović created using advanced AI technology. It was an awe-inspiring moment that blended nostalgia with cutting-edge tech and perfectly captured the transformative power of holographic technology in live events. Suddenly, we were no longer just remembering Dražen; it felt like he was right there with us, playing one more game.

This isn't the first time we've seen celebrity AI hologram performances—far from it. Some of the most famous examples include Michael Jackson's performance at the Billboard Music Awards in 2014 and Tupac’s appearance at Coachella in 2012. Other notable figures, like Whitney Houston, Kobe Bryant, Elvis Presley, and even Queen Elizabeth II, have made posthumous performances as holograms. Public opinion on resurrecting celebrities with AI is divided. Some people are thrilled to see their favorite artists back in their prime, especially since many fans today were too young—or not even born—when icons like MJ, The Beatles, Elvis, or Dražen Petrović were alive. From this angle, it's a unique opportunity to experience something that otherwise would’ve been impossible.

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Beyond nostalgia, hologram entertainment opens the door to limitless creative possibilities, like combining artists from different eras or creating "supergroups" of stars never met. Imagine the dream concerts you could produce with this technology.

Conversely, some people find hologram performances unsettling, even eerie. They argue about ethics of AI holograms - that the dead should be allowed to rest in peace and question whether these artists would have agreed to be portrayed in this way. After all, they couldn’t have imagined this kind of technology while alive. This raises the question: Is it a live show if the performer isn’t there in the flesh?

Let’s take a step back from these ethical brainers—we will discuss them, don’t worry—and let’s define holograms. For many years, we believed that holograms would never leave the domain of science fiction. One of the first times we were introduced to holograms was in shows like Star Wars, Star Trek, and Doctor Who.  As it happens, the future arrived quickly, and we are living our wildest science fiction fantasies. But how did we get to this? 

The story begins in Victorian-era England, specifically in 1862, with a scientist named John Henry Pepper, who created the first stage illusions of ghosts and other figures using a technique called "Pepper's Ghost." This method involved projecting a brightly lit figure onto a glass surface, creating the illusion of a ghostly presence on stage. While it may seem surprising, this 19th-century technique laid the groundwork for modern holographic technology.

An important figure in shaping the modern imagination of holograms is George Lucas, whose company Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), founded in 1975, has been at the forefront of cinematic visual effects. While ILM didn’t create genuine holograms, their groundbreaking work on Star Wars—specifically the famous holographic scene of Princess Leia’s message—became an iconic representation of what future holograms might look like. ILM's innovations in CGI, digital compositing, and 3D rendering transformed the film industry and inspired real-world development in holographic technology. Their work bridged the gap between science fiction and technological reality, sparking interest in making these imagined effects a tangible part of our world.

Fast forward to today, and companies like MDH Hologram have revolutionized this concept, creating photorealistic and flexible holograms designed for large-scale performances, such as arena shows. MDH achieved this by combining motion capture technology with advanced computer graphics, allowing them to recreate a person’s image in stunning detail digitally. This process involves scanning individuals from head to toe and projecting their likeness onto an invisible glass screen, creating a lifelike 3D image.

In parallel, Ariel Burton's company, Burton Inc., took a different approach, developing a 3D display that uses plasma technology. This advancement opened up new possibilities for holographic displays, enabling light projection directly into the air without needing traditional surfaces like mirrors or glass to reflect or support the image.

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As technology evolves, the potential for genuine holograms—light projections that don’t rely on physical surfaces—becomes more feasible, hinting at a future where holographic displays are commonplace in entertainment, communication, and beyond. 

Now that we know more about how holograms have evolved, how do we feel about them? I believe holograms are the future of live entertainment. While they may only partially replace traditional performances, they will likely become much more common than we expect. And it’s not just about resurrecting deceased artists as if we’ve got some AI-powered version of the Resurrection Stone from Harry Potter. Many living artists are opting for hologram concerts as well.

A perfect example is ABBA. Their mixed-reality Voyage tour, a massive success, was entirely holographic. The holograms portrayed the band as they looked in their prime, so audiences in 2022 saw the 1979 versions of ABBA—affectionately dubbed the "ABBAtars." To pull off this spectacle, a custom-built arena was constructed in London, equipped with cutting-edge holographic tech, motion capture, and CGI to create a lifelike performance from the iconic Swedish pop group.

While The Rolling Stones have vowed to keep performing live for as long as they’re around, what about other stars? Hologram technology offers a compelling alternative for artists who no longer want to tour but still want to give fans the best version of themselves—young and in their prime. But is this a brilliant way to preserve the legacy or just a sign of laziness?

Holograms aren’t just limited to the entertainment industry. There’s speculation that holograms could even be used in political campaigns in the near future. Imagine a candidate giving speeches in multiple cities at once—delivering each one with perfect precision without ever needing to be there physically. Would you trust a virtual persona with your vote, or is that too futuristic?

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As we marvel at moments like Dražen Petrović's hologram appearance, it's easy to get swept up in the excitement. After all, the ability to bring a beloved figure back to life—if only for a few moments—feels like something straight out of science fiction. But beneath the awe-inspiring visuals and emotional nostalgia lies a more complicated conversation that forces us to look beyond the surface of the technology and grapple with its more profound implications.

At their core, AI-powered holograms are a groundbreaking tool for reviving memories and preserving legacies in an intimate, almost tangible way. These digital projections offer a sense of presence, allowing us to connect with historical figures, celebrities, and icons in ways that static images or video recordings can’t match. It’s one thing to watch a grainy YouTube clip of Dražen Petrović in his prime, but it’s something else entirely to see his likeness moving across a basketball court in a near-lifelike form.

Holograms don’t just recreate a moment; they bring it into the present. The experience is immersive, creating a robust emotional response that can bridge generational gaps for younger fans who never saw Dražen play or those who were too young to remember his NBA stardom; the hologram offers a window into the past that feels immediate and real. It’s like being given a second chance to witness greatness—a feeling that is almost irresistible in today’s nostalgia-driven culture.

But, as with any powerful tool, there’s a flipside.

As mesmerizing as these holograms can be, they also raise profound ethical questions. Using a person’s likeness after their death is no small matter. Dražen Petrović’s hologram may have brought joy to his fans, but what about the man himself? Could he have ever imagined that one day he would be "performing" decades after his passing, courtesy of advanced technology? And, more importantly, would he have agreed to it?

This brings us to the issue of consent. In a world where AI is being used to recreate the likenesses of deceased figures, we must ask: Should there be boundaries around how these holograms are used? Would these legends have wanted their legacy to be commercialized and projected this way? It’s hard to say, and the answers may vary depending on the individual or their estate. However, this ambiguity raises the potential for misuse.

We’ve already seen examples where the line between celebration and exploitation becomes blurry. In 2020, Kim Kardashian received a hologram of her late father as a birthday gift—a gesture that was met with both awe and discomfort. To some, it was a heartfelt tribute; to others, it felt like an unsettling intrusion into the private memories of a man who could no longer give his consent.

There’s no doubt that hologram technology is lucrative. From arena tours to high-profile events, the commercialization of nostalgia has opened up new revenue streams for estates and companies looking to capitalize on the public’s desire to relive the past. Holograms are another way to repackage the past for a present-day audience, but they pose unique challenges. How far can we go before we’re crossing ethical lines? Is it fair to recreate an artist in their prime and profit from their image long after they’ve left us?

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This commercialization also has the potential to dilute the authenticity of live performances. Is it still a "live" event if the performer isn’t physically there? Some argue that holograms can never replace the energy and spontaneity of a real concert or sporting event. The risk is that we may begin to favor digital recreations over live experiences, diminishing the value of authentic human connection.

Despite these concerns, one thing is undeniable: holograms are here to stay. As technology continues to evolve, so will how we use AI holograms in entertainment, education, and politics. Imagine political candidates running virtual campaigns, appearing in multiple locations at once through hologram technology. Or consider the potential in education, where historical figures like Albert Einstein or Rosa Parks could "teach" future generations in immersive classroom settings.

But as we embrace these advancements, we must do so with caution. We must balance technological progress and our ethical responsibility to those whose likenesses we project. AI holograms can enhance our experiences and allow us to engage with the past in ways we never thought possible, but they also force us to consider how we want to remember and celebrate those who have come before us.

Holograms have the power to both honor and exploit. As we navigate this exciting yet uncertain future, we must tread carefully, ensuring that our use of this technology aligns with the respect and dignity we owe to the legacies we seek to preserve.

One thing is clear: holograms, like the legends they portray, will continue to capture our imagination and redefine how we experience the past and present. Whether we are enthralled or uneasy, we’re standing at the edge of a new frontier where technology can bring memories to life in ways we’re only beginning to understand.