Sources: 
A growing number of startups are pioneering grief bots or dead bots , AI-driven tools that simulate conversations with deceased loved ones. These bots use large language models fine-tuned to replicate the speech and personality of the departed, forming part of the emerging grief tech sector.
Hans Block, a film director featured in the documentary Eternal, You, cautions that while these AI companions aim to provide closure, they may instead cause emotional distress.
We are talking about a very specific group of users, they are in a very vulnerable state. They are looking for some closure but the opposite can happen, Block said.
Startups like You, Only Virtual, led by CEO Justin Harrison, create AI-powered audio Versonas that users can call to converse with digital recreations of loved ones. Harrison's first Versona was based on his mother after her Stage 4 cancer diagnosis, highlighting the personal nature of this technology.
Meanwhile, companies such as StoryFile develop AI video avatars that enable interactive conversations resembling Zoom calls, further enhancing the realism of these digital memorials.
Despite the technological advances, the unpredictable nature of AI responses and the emotional vulnerability of users raise ethical and psychological concerns about the use of grief bots. The technology's promise of comfort is shadowed by the risk of reopening wounds rather than healing them.
Key quote: We are talking about a very specific group of users, they are in a very vulnerable state. They are looking for some closure but the opposite can happen, - Hans Block
Statistic/Fact: Startups are creating AI chatbots, audio Versonas, and video avatars to simulate conversations with deceased loved ones, part of the growing grief tech industry.
This evolving technology continues to spark debate about its psychological impact and ethical implications for grieving individuals.
Sources: Startups developing AI 'grief bots' that mimic deceased loved ones raise concerns about unpredictable emotional effects. Film director Hans Block warns these tools, designed for closure, may instead unsettle vulnerable users. Innovations include AI chatbots, audio 'Versonas,' and video avatars enabling simulated conversations with the dead.
