Think twice before using AI to digitally resurrect a dead loved one: So-called 'griefbots' could HAUNT you, Cambridge scientists warn

The idea of using artificial intelligence (AI) to digitally resurrect a dead loved one might sound like a plot from the latest episode of Black Mirror. But these so-called'griefbots', 'deadbots' or'deathbots' have slowly but surely become a reality, with several firms now offering the service. Now, researchers from the University of Cambridge have warned that these bots could cause psychological harm and even digitally'haunt' those left behind. 'These services run the risk of causing huge distress to people if they are subjected to unwanted digital hauntings from alarmingly accurate AI recreations of those they have lost,' said co-author Dr Tomasz Hollanek. 'The potential psychological effect, particularly at an already difficult time, could be devastating.'