The new European legal framework on artificial intelligence (AI), the EU AI Act, came into effect on August 1st with the aim of preventing rights violations that may occur with the application of this technology. The regulation classifies AI according to the level of risk it may pose to individuals and society, and prohibits technologies that present an “unacceptable risk,” such as those that manipulate and exploit individuals’ vulnerabilities.
A technology that may fall into this category is the so-called deadbots, which some companies are already developing to bring to market in the near future. These are chatbots designed from a deceased person’s digital footprint (WhatsApp messages, social media posts, emails, etc.) and are capable of holding conversations with the deceased’s family and friends, emulating their personality. While it may sound like science fiction, it is not, and services of this kind are increasingly closer to reality than we might imagine.
Dr. Belén Jiménez, a psychologist and professor at the Studies of Psychology and Education Sciences and a researcher at the CareNet group at IN3 of the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), is a specialist in the technological mediation of grief, and one of her research focuses is on deadbots, an area in which she has published several studies.
A Complex Debate Without Clear Answers
“Although deadbots are not yet commercialized, it is necessary to reflect on the bioethical aspects of this technology. It is possible that their use will soon become normalized, as has happened with other applications that initially surprised society but whose use is now widespread, such as dating apps. More and more companies are emerging in the so-called digital afterlife industry, and they are improving the technology,” explains Jiménez. The psychologist believes it is essential to “study how deadbots mediate grief and can even transform it. This is a field with almost no scientific studies and there are no clear answers, as their use and effects depend on various factors, including how these technologies are designed.”
Among other aspects, the new European legislation establishes that chatbots must inform the user that they are communicating with a software program and not a person. While it classifies this technology as “limited risk,” in sensitive contexts like health—which would be the case with deadbots—the implications of these programs must be analyzed carefully.
In research conducted by Belén Jiménez, who is also a member of the CERPOP research group at the University of Toulouse, it has been found that grieving individuals express an ambivalent attitude towards this new technology: the desire to maintain emotional ties with their loved ones mixes with the unease caused by interacting with a program based on the deceased’s digital footprint.
Deadbots rely on the so-called “continuing bonds” between the bereaved and the deceased, a term frequently used in the field of grief psychology. The UOC researcher states that “these technologies take advantage of the human need to establish emotional connections.” In reality, it could be equated to a technological and advanced version of conversing imaginatively with our loved one in front of their grave or keeping their memory alive through photographs and videos. “This need to maintain connections does not have to be pathological—Jiménez explains—and is a normal feeling for many people. However, certain precautions should be established regarding the use of deadbots, and it is essential to regulate their use, as the profit motives of the companies that market them may not align with the potential therapeutic use that this technology may have.”
In the absence of studies, Jiménez points out that the psychological effects of these technologies will be conditioned by the user themselves, by the relationship they had with the deceased, and by the relationship they establish with the chatbot. “One of the dangers is that negative effects could arise, such as the creation of a dependency relationship and even the suffering caused by a second loss if the deadbot disappears—for example, due to technical problems.”
Regulating the Digital Afterlife Industry
Our aspiration for immortality and technological advancement are giving rise to the digital afterlife industry, a sector that digitalizes the memories of deceased individuals in order to extend their memories and even their digital activity. All this brings with it significant ethical and social implications. Companies pursue commercial and economic goals that can be contradictory to the potential therapeutic objectives of these tools. Strategies such as having deadbots send notifications and other actions to keep the bereaved “hooked” can be ethically questionable, according to Jiménez.
“We are facing a new technological development based on artificial intelligence that involves significant risks and must be regulated to anticipate its potential negative effects, while also considering its ethical dimension,” claims the researcher. “The new European regulation aims to promote transparency in these technologies, which is crucial in such sensitive matters as grief. Furthermore, companies that develop these services must adhere to rigorous standards and invest in auditing, transparency, and documentation programs,” she explains. The AI Act anticipates fines of up to 30 million euros or 6% of a corporation’s revenue for non-compliance with this regulation.
In the absence of specific regulations for deadbots, Jiménez suggests that regulations “especially safeguard the respect and dignity of the deceased, in addition to promoting the psychological well-being of the user, especially if they are grieving.”
Source: UOC – Belén Jiménez