Digital resurrection: fascination and fear over the rise of the deathbot; The Guardian, August 10, 2025

Harriet Sherwood, The Guardian; Digital resurrection: fascination and fear over the rise of the deathbot

 "Only a few years ago, the idea of “virtual immortality” was futuristic, a techno-dream beyond the reach of ordinary people. Now, interactive avatars can be created relatively easily and cheaply, and demand looks set to grow...

“Human beings have been trying to relate to the dead ever since there were humans,” said Michael Cholbi, a professor of philosophy at the University of Edinburgh and the author of Grief: A Philosophical Guide. “We have created monuments and memorials, preserved locks of hair, reread letters. Now the question is: does AI have anything to add?”"