Digital Afterlife

“Deadbots” Redefine the Digital Relationship with the Dead and Raise Questions About Grief and Identity

“Deadbots” rely on the messages, photos, recordings, and digital data of a deceased person to create an interactive simulation of them, and they have begun appearing in private and public contexts such as court hearings. Experts believe their potential benefit in supporting grief is accompanied by risks related to blurring the boundaries between memory and existence, as well as by a lack of sufficient evidence or clear legal and therapeutic standards.