I turned myself into an AI-generated deathbot – here's what I found (www.bbc.com)

A recent exploration by Dr. Jenny Kidd and her team from Cardiff University delved into the burgeoning "digital afterlife" industry, which uses AI to create chatbots modeled after deceased loved ones. As technology evolves, these AI-generated deathbots are designed to emulate the voices, speech patterns, and personalities of the dead, leveraging their digital footprints, including texts and voice notes. This reflects a significant shift in how individuals process grief, demonstrated by accounts like that of James Vlahos, who used AI to keep his father's memory alive after losing him to cancer. While some find comfort in this interactive form of remembrance, experts caution that these systems simplify complex concepts of memory and identity, potentially leading to misunderstandings. Despite the intrigue surrounding deathbots, the researchers found limitations in their effectiveness, stemming from current technological constraints. Kidd's experience in testing these platforms revealed that while the notion of reliving memories through AI is compelling, the results can be eerie or dissatisfying, emphasizing that these tools are not a substitute for genuine human connection during bereavement. The study indicates a cautious openness to the technology's potential but also raises ethical concerns about the representation and evolution of a person's identity posthumously, as well as questions about the viability of a sustained market for such services.