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The concept of digitally recreating deceased loved ones, once a theme of science fiction, is rapidly becoming a reality. From holographic depictions in popular culture, such as Star Trek: Discovery, to real-world instances like Kim Kardashian receiving a hologram of her late father as a birthday gift, AI technology is enabling conversations with the dead in ways previously unimaginable. However, this cutting-edge technology brings with it significant ethical, psychological, and societal concerns.

In a Star Trek: Discovery episode, Lieutenant Commander and physician Hugh Culber interacts with a holographic recreation of his deceased grandmother, a therapeutic AI designed to ease grief. While the touching scene evokes empathy, it also prompts profound questions about technology’s role in the grieving process. The emergence of “ghostbots” – AI recreations of the deceased – highlights both the comfort and complexity of navigating grief and mental health using such technology.

The Technology Behind AI Ghosts

AI ghosts, also referred to as griefbots or postmortem avatars, are created using advanced artificial intelligence and deep fake technology. These digital constructs are built from a person’s digital footprint, including emails, social media posts, photos, and videos. In some cases, individuals can commission their own digital avatars before death, providing responses to questions and curating their representation. The resulting AI ghost can engage in text-based or verbal conversations, with some appearing as fully interactive holograms or video representations.

The price of creating these avatars varies significantly from a few hundred dollars in China to upwards of $15,000 in the United States. With their accessibility increasing, so will their prevalence.

The Appeal and Potential Benefits

For many, the ability to reconnect with a deceased loved one offers profound emotional comfort. AI ghosts provide an opportunity to ask questions, share sentiments, or simply experience the presence of someone long gone. The therapeutic potential is evident in instances like the Star Trek Discovery episode, where unresolved grief and nostalgia are addressed through meaningful dialogue.

Additionally, this technology could serve as a therapeutic tool, allowing individuals to process loss in controlled, incremental ways. For some cultures, such as those with traditions of ancestor veneration, AI ghosts might align naturally with existing practices of honouring and engaging with the dead.

Risks and Ethical Concerns

The uncanny realism of AI ghosts may pose significant risks, particularly to mental health. Research suggests that these digital constructs, if used excessively or improperly, could interfere with the natural grieving process. Grief is a complex, often lengthy journey involving stages of acceptance and emotional processing. Prolonged interaction with a griefbot might hinder these stages, increasing the risk of complicated grief — a condition marked by prolonged emotional distress, guilt, and difficulty moving forward.

For children and individuals with existing psychological vulnerabilities, the risks are even greater. Children, for instance, might struggle to understand the permanence of death, potentially believing that a deceased parent or loved one is still alive through their digital representation.

AI ghosts blur the line between memory and reality, leading to ethical questions about ownership and consent. Who owns the digital persona—the family, the deceased, or the company that created it? There is also the potential for misuse, such as exploiting private conversations for marketing purposes or perpetuating harmful interactions with AI recreations of abusive individuals.

Societal and Cultural Implications

The rise of AI ghosts reflects broader societal trends, including our culture of limitless data storage and an increasing reliance on digital interactions. In some ways, this technology mirrors shifts in mourning practices, such as the adoption of live-streamed funerals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, cultural differences play a significant role in how AI ghosts are perceived. For instance, Día de los Muertos in Latin cultures involves a spiritual connection with the dead, making the idea of interacting with a digital version of a loved one less alien. Conversely, Western cultures often maintain a stricter division between the living and the dead, amplifying the “creepy” factor associated with these technologies.

The Path Forward

To navigate the ethical and psychological challenges posed by AI ghosts, clear guidelines and regulations on their use might be considered. Experts suggest restricting their use to consenting adults and ensuring that users are informed of the potential risks. More research is required to understand the impact of griefbots on mental health and to determine whether they should be classified as therapeutic tools.

As this technology becomes more widespread, society must decide whether to leave it to market forces, regulate it, or ban it altogether. Thoughtful regulation could help balance the potential benefits of AI ghosts with the need to protect individuals from harm.

Ultimately, while AI ghosts offer the promise of reconnecting with loved ones in meaningful ways, they also challenge our understanding of grief, memory, and the boundaries between life and death. Whether they are a help or hindrance will depend on how society chooses to use this powerful new tool.

Further reading:

The Conversation; The Hastings Centre