A new technology is quietly moving from science fiction into the grief industry: the AI "griefbot," or "deathbot." These systems use a person's digital footprints—texts, voice notes, videos, social media posts—to create simulations that let people converse with the deceased. In many ways, griefbots are a high-tech evolution of the séance: where mediums claim to summon voices from the beyond, algorithms now reassemble them from data.
For many grieving people, the draw is obvious. In the painful days after a loss, a griefbot may feel like a lifeline: one last opportunity to hear a familiar voice, ask lingering questions, or avoid the emptiness of silence. Proponents frame this as comfort technology, suggesting it could ease the hardest moments of mourning.
Yet ethical questions linger. Does talking with an AI version of a loved one help people heal—or does it risk trapping them in an endless cycle of unresolved farewells? Some psychologists caution that keeping up the illusion of presence could disrupt the natural process of coming to terms with loss.
Consent adds another layer. The dead cannot approve how their words, likeness, or personality are repurposed. A griefbot may feel less like a memorial than a digital ventriloquist act, shaped by corporate incentives as much as memory. Some companies now encourage people to record themselves before death, turning legacies into products. Among those that have sprouted up: You - Only Virtual, Here After, Super Brain, Seance AI, and 2wai (commercial pictured above).
In the end, the question may be what we want mourning to accomplish. Griefbots present the uncanny possibility of never truly saying goodbye. For some, that’s comforting; for others, it’s unsettling—like a ghost in your phone, reminiscent of a dystopic Black Mirror episode. What do you think about griefbots? Would you want to try one? Join the conversation on our Facebook page.