How Deadbots are Changing the Way We Remember the Dead
Rod Stewart surprised fans at a recent concert in Charlotte, North Carolina, with AI-generated images that featured the late Ozzy Osbourne. Osbourne, the former Black Sabbath frontman who died last month, appeared alongside other departed stars, including Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, and Bob Marley. The tribute divided Stewart’s audience. Some fans found the visuals disrespectful and distasteful, while others saw it as a touching homage.
A 2023 poll by Christian think tank Theos, conducted by YouGov, found that 14 percent of people would find comfort in interacting with a digital version of a loved one who has died. Younger respondents showed more openness to the idea of digital avatars for the deceased.
A few years ago, the idea of “virtual immortality” seemed unreachable. Today, interactive avatars are more affordable and easier to create, and their popularity continues to grow. Digital resurrection is a growing trend that uses photographs, videos, voice messages, and other data to create digital versions of the deceased. Many companies now offer “griefbots” or “deathbots” that simulate interactions with the deceased. This technology raises ethical questions about privacy, exploitation, and how these digital representations may affect the grieving process. Experts warn that turning grief into profit carries risks, and there’s a long history of upselling and exploitation in the funeral industry.
The desire to keep a connection with loved ones who have passed is not a new phenomenon. Traditionally, people have held onto personal belongings, like letters, photographs, videos, and voice recordings, as objects of remembrance and comfort. Dreams or fleeting visions of the deceased, along with rituals such as visiting graves or speaking to personal items, have long offered comfort to the bereaved. Some have even turned to seances in search of contact.
While digital avatars aim to provide a similar sense of connection, they can also complicate the grieving process by offering ongoing interactions with a digital likeness, making it harder for people to accept the loss.
Rise of the Deadbot
The rise of posthumous AI avatars represents a major shift in how technology interacts with death. What began as memorial tools allowing loved ones to interact with digital recreations of the deceased has evolved into an expanding commercial industry. The digital afterlife market is expected to quadruple in the next decade, reaching $80 billion, driven by advances in avatar technology.
The sector managing digital assets from the deceased now includes “deadbots,” digital avatars designed to mimic humans. As companies explore the commercial potential of these technologies, ethicists and researchers raise concerns about consent, exploitation, and the psychological effects of extending a digital presence beyond life.
Deathbots can help people stay connected to loved ones who have died; they can also interfere with the grieving process because they allow ongoing interaction with a simulation, which may make it harder to accept the finality of death. Furthermore, digital recreations often present a sanitized or idealized view of the dead. For example, when a relative develops a deathbot for another relative, they might choose to leave out unpleasant traits or behaviors.
What’s happening in Asia?
In China, tech companies are creating interactive avatars of deceased loved ones, a process known as “digital resurrection.” These aren’t just photographs or recorded messages but AI-generated deepfakes that replicate voice, facial expressions, and can even respond in conversations. Creating a digital avatar of a deceased loved one can cost as little as 20 yuan (£2.20). More sophisticated avatars that move and talk with users can cost thousands of pounds. Fu Shou Yuan International Group, a leading funeral services company, predicts that it is now possible for the dead to “come back to life” in virtual form. The China Funeral Association estimates the cost will be around 50,000 (£5,250) yuan per person.
The digital resurrection market was valued at 12 billion yuan (£1.2 billion) in 2022 and is expected to grow fourfold by the end of 2025. Zhang Zewei, founder of Shanghai-based Super Brain, is one of the first entrepreneurs in this field. He has charged clients up to $1,400 to create AI replicas of deceased family members.
Rod Stewart’s AI-generated tribute to Ozzy Osbourne sparked mixed reactions from fans. While some saw it as a respectful homage, others found it unsettling. As AI-powered digital recreations of the deceased become more common, they raise important ethical questions. The technology offers new ways to remember loved ones but also challenges traditional ideas about grief and memory. Balancing innovation with respect will be key as society adapts to these digital afterlives.
Ginger Liu MFA is the founder of Hollywood’s Ginger Media & Entertainment, a writer and researcher on technology and entertainment, a multidisciplinary artist and filmmaker, and host of the podcast The Digital Afterlife of Grief.