Tech Companies Have Created A ‘Digital Afterlife,’ And It’s Creepy As Hell
Digital recreation of deceased loved ones is no longer science fiction
Imagine you receive a call, text message, or chat request on your phone, only it’s from a deceased loved one — and you can interact with them.
This is a premise that sounds straight out of science fiction, but such technologies exist. Labeled ‘Griefbots’ or ‘Deadbots’ (Ugh), these AI-powered chatbots can simulate the persona of a deceased person by using data collected from their online and digital footprint.
Essentially, these bots function as a “digital afterlife” for the deceased.
Yeah, it’s creepy as hell, and the tech firms behind these new chatbots are bringing their services to market.
Unleashing griefbots (I’m not going to use that other distasteful term) onto the public creates enormous moral and ethical quandaries, as well as raises significant concerns about risks to privacy, data security, and the potential for this technology to be abused by bad actors.
Another major concern is the potential for these chatbots to cause psychological harm to individuals who are already grieving and vulnerable.
