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The concept of interacting with deceased loved ones through artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly discussed topic. Instead of relying solely on memories or saved communications, new AI-powered chatbots are being designed to mimic the tone, style, and voice of the departed, using their digital footprints like emails, texts, and voice notes. This technology is part of a booming “digital afterlife” industry valued at over £100 billion, offering some individuals a novel way to cope with grief.
Research led by Dr Jenny Kidd from Cardiff University, published in the journal *Memory, Mind and Media*, investigates these so-called deathbots. Kidd described the findings of the study as both “fascinating and unsettling.” The idea of communicating with those who have passed away is not something new, with traditions such as séances and spiritualist mediums dating back centuries. However, advances in AI have the potential to make these interactions more lifelike and widely accessible on a scale never seen before.
In collaboration with Eva Nieto McAvoy of King’s College London and Bethan Jones from Cardiff University, Kidd’s team examined how AI imitates the speech patterns and personalities of the deceased by analyzing their digital traces. While the technology is often promoted as a source of comfort, the researchers argue that it oversimplifies complex concepts like memory, identity, and relationships. Jacqueline Gunn, founder of the Workplace Bereavement support group, highlighted that these AI tools “are only as good as the information they are given,” and underscored that grief is a deeply personal experience that requires time and human connection.
Dr Kidd’s interest in AI-driven digital afterlives began during the Covid-19 pandemic, inspired by the sudden surge of animated AI photographs on social media, where old pictures were made to blink and smile using software. She described these experiences as “really creepy, but really quite interesting as well.” Testing out commercial deathbots, Kidd found the results unsatisfactory, citing technical limitations. In one test, using her own voice data, the chatbot generated a voice that “didn’t sound like me,” but rather “quite Australian.” Although Kidd believes the technology will improve, she remains skeptical about the demand for digital afterlife products, pointing out that existing death rituals and traditions may limit widespread adoption. When asked about the idea of being digitally recreated posthumously, the researchers expressed mixed feelings, with Kidd warning of potential ethical concerns if the AI’s evolving persona misrepresents the real person and distorts their memory. Dr Nieto McAvoy was more indifferent, emphasizing the complexity of such decisions without strong beliefs about the afterlife
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