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Embracing grief in the age of deathbots: a temporary tool, not a permanent solution

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Abstract

“Deathbots,” digital constructs that emulate the conversational patterns, demeanor, and knowledge of deceased individuals. Earlier moral discussions about deathbots centered on the dignity and autonomy of the deceased. This paper primarily examines the potential psychological and emotional dependencies that users might develop towards deathbots, considering approaches to prevent problematic dependence through temporary use. We adopt a hermeneutic method to argue that deathbots, as they currently exist, are unlikely to provide substantial comfort. Lacking the capacity to bear emotional burdens, they fall short of meeting idealistic expectations. By repositioning deathbots, we aim to mitigate the risk of emotional dependency and respect the natural grieving process. Our goal is to propose the use of deathbots as a novel means of mourning through transitory use, rather than as a method to alleviate grief or as a patterns for communication with the deceased.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy, School of Humanities, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Aorigele Bao & Yi Zeng

  2. Institute of Philosophy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Aorigele Bao & Yi Zeng

  3. Center for Long-term Artificial Intelligence, Beijing, China

    Aorigele Bao & Yi Zeng

  4. Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Aorigele Bao & Yi Zeng

Authors
  1. Aorigele Bao
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  2. Yi Zeng
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Correspondence to Yi Zeng.

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Bao, A., Zeng, Y. Embracing grief in the age of deathbots: a temporary tool, not a permanent solution. Ethics Inf Technol 26, 7 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10676-024-09744-y

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