Katarzyna Nowaczyk-Basinska, researcher: It will be normal for many people to want to chat with their deceased loved ones'

"There are already companies especially in the U.S. and China that offer services which turn our ancestors into avatars, with whom we can chat. Some deceased individuals have already spoken at their own funerals, or at the trials of their killers. Every culture has its own relationship with the afterlife. Each family experiences the loss of their loved ones in its own way."

"Answer. That's going to change. When we visit a cemetery, it's usually not that often and when you have your dead loved ones in your pockets in your phone you can easily access this person online almost 24/7, which means that it will definitely change the way we communicate with the dead and the way we spend time with them. I think that it will increase the intensity of these relations, because when our dead loved ones are accessible through these platforms when these conversations can be immersive and engaging for us, when these technologies are designed to engage us as users I think it might be tempting for us to use these technologies."

Companies in the U.S. and China already offer services that turn deceased individuals into avatars and chat-enabled profiles. Some deceased have spoken at their own funerals or at trials of their killers. Cultural traditions and family practices continue to shape mourning and beliefs about the afterlife. Artificial intelligence enables new, persistent relationships with certain deceased individuals that will depend on business models, ethical choices, and legal frameworks. The emergence of immersive, engaging platforms accessible via phones could reduce cemetery visits and intensify ongoing interactions with the dead. Societal and governmental reflection and regulation currently lag behind these innovations.

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