AI Brings the Dead Back: How Technology Is Revolutionizing Grief and Estate Planning

James Vlahos’s life took a dramatic turn in 2016 when he received devastating news about his father’s terminal cancer diagnosis. Determined to make the most of the time they had left, James embarked on an oral history project with his father, spending hours recording the story of his life. As James was exploring a career in artificial intelligence at the time, his personal project soon evolved into the idea of creating an interactive chatbot that could preserve his father’s memories and essence.

Before his father passed away in 2017, James successfully turned the recordings into an AI-powered chatbot that could answer questions about his father’s life in his voice. The concept of using AI to bring people back to life has long been explored in science fiction, but technological advances now allow for this to be achieved in real life. In 2019, James created an app called Hereafter AI that allows users to do the same with their loved ones.

While the chatbot didn’t erase the pain of his father’s death, James found comfort in having an interactive way to preserve his father’s memories and personality. Another company called DeepBrain AI takes this concept a step further by creating avatars of deceased individuals based on hours of video and audio recordings. This technology is aimed at developing a “dying well” culture where people can prepare for their own death by leaving behind stories and memories as a digital legacy.

Despite the high cost of creating these avatars, some investors believe it will become popular, as evidenced by DeepBrain AI’s successful funding round. However, psychologists caution against rushing into using this “grief technology” during moments of intense emotion, emphasizing the importance of traditional human support in the grieving process.

In addition to preserving memories through chatbots and avatars, technology has also been used to alleviate the administrative burden that comes with handling a loved one’s affairs after their death. Platforms like Settld automate the process of notifying organizations about a person’s passing, helping to streamline the process and reduce stress for those experiencing recent bereavement.

The grief technology sector has seen significant growth, now being valued at over $123 billion globally. This growth has been fueled by