In 2025, the way to tell this story is like "San Junipero" of Netflix's Black Mirror. The chip is almost irrelevant -- but you feed an AI his life story, his voice samples, lots of his images. (And the show makes a deal with Mascolo's heirs to do this). So they talk to computer that sounds like ...
... Stefano and seems to respond like Stefano, more or less. Except sometimes it is wonky. And over time, maybe, the AI distorts Stefano's character more and more, and starts to recommend stuff that seems out of character. And maybe eventually we learn someone else has commandeered the AI.
Not only is this not sci fi -- it is 100% possible with today's technology. And the MORAL of the story, in the end, is both that AI can be hijacked (think Elon Musk) and that you *can't* bring people back from the dead. In the short term, the audience could see and hear AI-generated Mascolo.
I guess my issue was is in 2025 do they need to revisit Stefano (especially in this way) again? They need to invest in a new generation of villain that’s not in therapy with Marlena for redemption