“Deadbots”: AI Avatars of Deceased Loved Ones Are Redefining How People Process Grief

The rise of AI-powered digital avatars of deceased loved ones, known as “deadbots,” is introducing a new stage to the traditional five stages of grief – resurrection. While this technology allows people to continue conversing with digital recreations of the deceased, it raises important questions about the grieving process, privacy, and the implications of never truly moving on.

Key Takeaways:

• Chinese company Silicon Intelligence is creating life-like digital avatars of deceased relatives that can engage in conversation, essentially bringing them back to life in a digital form.
• The quality of these deadbots depends on the amount of personal data, such as photos, videos, voice clips, and social media activity, used to create them.
• By introducing a sixth stage of grief, digital resurrection, deadbots may prevent people from reaching the crucial acceptance stage and truly moving on from loss.

Analyzing Deeper: While the concept of deadbots may provide comfort to some, it’s important to consider the potential psychological impacts of never fully processing grief and accepting the finality of death. Additionally, the reliance on personal data to create these digital avatars raises significant privacy concerns, especially given the geopolitical tensions between China and the US. As this technology advances and becomes more widespread, society will need to grapple with profound questions about death, remembrance, and the role of AI in our most intimate human experiences. The advent of deadbots may fundamentally change how we grieve and memorialize loved ones, for better or worse.