Griefbots Offer AI Connections with Deceased Loved Ones

Griefbots, artificial intelligence chatbots that mimic deceased
loved ones, are increasingly in popularity. Researcher Katarzyna
Nowaczyk-Basińska reflects on what death, grief and immortality
look like in the digital age. She shares insights from a project
that she is leading as a AI2050 Early Career Fellow: Imaginaries of
Immortality in the Age of AI: An Intercultural Analysis. Plus, we
discuss the ethical and privacy concerns surrounding how the data
of the deceased are used and what consumers should be on the
lookout for if they want to use griefbots.  Recommended
reading: You can read a recent paper on griefbots co-authored by
Nowaczyk-Basińska:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13347-024-00744-w And
you can keep up with her research:
https://katarzynanowaczykbasinska.pl/en/dr-katarzyna-nowaczyk-basinska/
Read our coverage of the tricky ethical debates around AI:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-god-chatbots-changing-religious-inquiry/ 
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