* . *
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
Friday, May 9, 2025
Earth-News
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment

    Zugalu Entertainment Welcomes Crimson Herring Studios to Its Family!

    Fall 2025 TV Schedule: Your Guide to the Complete Lineup – Wyoming News Now

    Get Ready for Fall 2025: Your Ultimate Guide to the Exciting TV Lineup!

    Blackstone River Theatre presents music from Scotland with Cantrip – The Valley Breeze

    Experience the Enchanting Sounds of Scotland: Cantrip Takes the Stage at Blackstone River Theatre!

    The viral wireless audio dongle for in-flight entertainment just got a big upgrade – and I love it – ZDNET

    Game-Changer for In-Flight Entertainment: The Upgraded Wireless Audio Dongle You’ll Love!

    Tahoe City Downtown Association opens 4th of July Entertainment Grant Program – Sierra Sun

    Celebrate Independence Day: Tahoe City Launches Exciting 4th of July Entertainment Grant Program!

    WEBTOON Entertainment Revolutionizes Webcomic Discovery with Innovative New Personalization Features and Product Updates – Business Wire

    Unlocking a New Era of Webcomic Discovery: WEBTOON’s Exciting Personalization Features and Updates!

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    Newmont signs deal to use Chrysos Corporation technology – Capital Brief

    Newmont Partners with Chrysos Corporation to Revolutionize Mining Technology

    Air Force Invests in Whisper’s Ultraquiet Propulsion Technology – FLYING Magazine

    Air Force Invests in Whisper’s Ultraquiet Propulsion Technology – FLYING Magazine

    Trump administration set to overhaul Biden’s AI chip export regulations – TechHQ

    Trump administration set to overhaul Biden’s AI chip export regulations – TechHQ

    Technology is the key to empathy in insurance – InsuranceNewsNet

    Unlocking Empathy: How Technology is Transforming the Insurance Experience

    Technology – Inflexion

    Revolutionizing the Future: The Impact of Cutting-Edge Technology

    Outdated technology and stress-related absences contribute to Newark Airport chaos – Travel Weekly

    How Outdated Technology and Stress Are Fueling Chaos at Newark Airport

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment

    Zugalu Entertainment Welcomes Crimson Herring Studios to Its Family!

    Fall 2025 TV Schedule: Your Guide to the Complete Lineup – Wyoming News Now

    Get Ready for Fall 2025: Your Ultimate Guide to the Exciting TV Lineup!

    Blackstone River Theatre presents music from Scotland with Cantrip – The Valley Breeze

    Experience the Enchanting Sounds of Scotland: Cantrip Takes the Stage at Blackstone River Theatre!

    The viral wireless audio dongle for in-flight entertainment just got a big upgrade – and I love it – ZDNET

    Game-Changer for In-Flight Entertainment: The Upgraded Wireless Audio Dongle You’ll Love!

    Tahoe City Downtown Association opens 4th of July Entertainment Grant Program – Sierra Sun

    Celebrate Independence Day: Tahoe City Launches Exciting 4th of July Entertainment Grant Program!

    WEBTOON Entertainment Revolutionizes Webcomic Discovery with Innovative New Personalization Features and Product Updates – Business Wire

    Unlocking a New Era of Webcomic Discovery: WEBTOON’s Exciting Personalization Features and Updates!

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    Newmont signs deal to use Chrysos Corporation technology – Capital Brief

    Newmont Partners with Chrysos Corporation to Revolutionize Mining Technology

    Air Force Invests in Whisper’s Ultraquiet Propulsion Technology – FLYING Magazine

    Air Force Invests in Whisper’s Ultraquiet Propulsion Technology – FLYING Magazine

    Trump administration set to overhaul Biden’s AI chip export regulations – TechHQ

    Trump administration set to overhaul Biden’s AI chip export regulations – TechHQ

    Technology is the key to empathy in insurance – InsuranceNewsNet

    Unlocking Empathy: How Technology is Transforming the Insurance Experience

    Technology – Inflexion

    Revolutionizing the Future: The Impact of Cutting-Edge Technology

    Outdated technology and stress-related absences contribute to Newark Airport chaos – Travel Weekly

    How Outdated Technology and Stress Are Fueling Chaos at Newark Airport

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
Earth-News
No Result
View All Result
Home Science

Cambridge Experts Warn: AI “Deadbots” Could Digitally “Haunt” Loved Ones From Beyond the Grave

May 10, 2024
in Science
Cambridge Experts Warn: AI “Deadbots” Could Digitally “Haunt” Loved Ones From Beyond the Grave
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Robot Artificial Intelligence Red Particles

Cambridge researchers warn of the psychological dangers of ‘deadbots,’ AI that mimics deceased individuals, urging for ethical standards and consent protocols to prevent misuse and ensure respectful interaction.

According to researchers at the University of Cambridge, artificial intelligence that allows users to hold text and voice conversations with lost loved ones runs the risk of causing psychological harm and even digitally “haunting” those left behind without design safety standards.

‘Deadbots’ or ‘Griefbots’ are AI chatbots that simulate the language patterns and personality traits of the dead using the digital footprints they leave behind. Some companies are already offering these services, providing an entirely new type of “postmortem presence.”

AI ethicists from Cambridge’s Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence outline three design scenarios for platforms that could emerge as part of the developing “digital afterlife industry,” to show the potential consequences of careless design in an area of AI they describe as “high risk.”

Misuse of AI Chatbots

The research, published in the journal Philosophy and Technology, highlights the potential for companies to use deadbots to surreptitiously advertise products to users in the manner of a departed loved one, or distress children by insisting a dead parent is still “with you.”

When the living sign up to be virtually re-created after they die, resulting chatbots could be used by companies to spam surviving family and friends with unsolicited notifications, reminders and updates about the services they provide – akin to being digitally “stalked by the dead.”

Even those who take initial comfort from a ‘deadbot’ may get drained by daily interactions that become an “overwhelming emotional weight,” argue researchers, yet may also be powerless to have an AI simulation suspended if their now-deceased loved one signed a lengthy contract with a digital afterlife service.

Visualization of a Fictional Company Called MaNana

A visualization of a fictional company called MaNana, one of the design scenarios used in the paper to illustrate the potential ethical issues in the emerging digital afterlife industry. Credit: Dr Tomasz Hollanek

“Rapid advancements in generative AI mean that nearly anyone with Internet access and some basic know-how can revive a deceased loved one,” said Dr Katarzyna Nowaczyk-Basińska, study co-author and researcher at Cambridge’s Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence (LCFI). “This area of AI is an ethical minefield. It’s important to prioritize the dignity of the deceased, and ensure that this isn’t encroached on by financial motives of digital afterlife services, for example. At the same time, a person may leave an AI simulation as a farewell gift for loved ones who are not prepared to process their grief in this manner. The rights of both data donors and those who interact with AI afterlife services should be equally safeguarded.”

Existing Services and Hypothetical Scenarios

Platforms offering to recreate the dead with AI for a small fee already exist, such as ‘Project December’, which started out harnessing GPT models before developing its own systems, and apps including ‘HereAfter’. Similar services have also begun to emerge in China. One of the potential scenarios in the new paper is “MaNana”: a conversational AI service allowing people to create a deadbot simulating their deceased grandmother without the consent of the “data donor” (the dead grandparent).

The hypothetical scenario sees an adult grandchild who is initially impressed and comforted by the technology start to receive advertisements once a “premium trial” finishes. For example, the chatbot suggesting ordering from food delivery services in the voice and style of the deceased. The relative feels they have disrespected the memory of their grandmother, and wishes to have the deadbot turned off, but in a meaningful way – something the service providers haven’t considered.

Visualization of a Fictional Company Called Parent

A visualization of a fictional company called Paren’t. Credit: Dr Tomasz Hollanek

“People might develop strong emotional bonds with such simulations, which will make them particularly vulnerable to manipulation,” said co-author Dr Tomasz Hollanek, also from Cambridge’s LCFI. “Methods and even rituals for retiring deadbots in a dignified way should be considered. This may mean a form of digital funeral, for example, or other types of ceremony depending on the social context. We recommend design protocols that prevent deadbots being utilized in disrespectful ways, such as for advertising or having an active presence on social media.”

While Hollanek and Nowaczyk-Basińska say that designers of re-creation services should actively seek consent from data donors before they pass, they argue that a ban on deadbots based on non-consenting donors would be unfeasible.

They suggest that design processes should involve a series of prompts for those looking to “resurrect” their loved ones, such as ‘have you ever spoken with X about how they would like to be remembered?’, so the dignity of the departed is foregrounded in deadbot development.

Age Restrictions and Transparency

Another scenario featured in the paper, an imagined company called “Paren’t,” highlights the example of a terminally ill woman leaving a deadbot to assist her eight-year-old son with the grieving process.

While the deadbot initially helps as a therapeutic aid, the AI starts to generate confusing responses as it adapts to the needs of the child, such as depicting an impending in-person encounter.

Visualization of a Fictional Company Called Stay

A visualization of a fictional company called Stay. Credit: Dr Tomasz Hollanek

The researchers recommend age restrictions for deadbots, and also call for “meaningful transparency” to ensure users are consistently aware that they are interacting with an AI. These could be similar to current warnings on content that may cause seizures, for example.

The final scenario explored by the study – a fictional company called “Stay” – shows an older person secretly committing to a deadbot of themselves and paying for a twenty-year subscription, in the hopes it will comfort their adult children and allow their grandchildren to know them.

After death, the service kicks in. One adult child does not engage, and receives a barrage of emails in the voice of their dead parent. Another does, but ends up emotionally exhausted and wracked with guilt over the fate of the deadbot. Yet suspending the deadbot would violate the terms of the contract their parent signed with the service company.

“It is vital that digital afterlife services consider the rights and consent not just of those they recreate, but those who will have to interact with the simulations,” said Hollanek.

“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. The potential psychological effect, particularly at an already difficult time, could be devastating.”

The researchers call for design teams to prioritize opt-out protocols that allow potential users terminate their relationships with deadbots in ways that provide emotional closure.

Added Nowaczyk-Basińska: “We need to start thinking now about how we mitigate the social and psychological risks of digital immortality, because the technology is already here.”

Reference: “Griefbots, Deadbots, Postmortem Avatars: on Responsible Applications of Generative AI in the Digital Afterlife Industry” by Tomasz Hollanek, and Katarzyna Nowaczyk-Basińska, 9 May 2024, Philosophy & Technology.
DOI: 10.1007/s13347-024-00744-w

>>> Read full article>>>
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source : SciTechDaily – https://scitechdaily.com/cambridge-experts-warn-ai-deadbots-could-digitally-haunt-loved-ones-from-beyond-the-grave/

Tags: CambridgeExpertsscience
Previous Post

Immune Cells: A Hidden Trigger for Anxiety, Depression, and Alzheimer’s Disease

Next Post

Wolves HC: Anthony Edwards ‘Stylistically’ Like Michael Jordan, Has ‘Long Way to Go’

Lifestyle brand is giving away an original Rolls-Royce Silver Spur for free, but there’s an $85,000 catch – supercarblondie.com

Win a Classic Rolls-Royce Silver Spur for Free—But There’s an $85,000 Twist!

May 9, 2025
Four Flyers Set to Play in the 2025 IIHF World Championship – NHL.com

Four Flyers Set to Play in the 2025 IIHF World Championship – NHL.com

May 9, 2025
Trump Tariffs: Xi Fortifies China’s Economy Before First Talks on Trade With US – Bloomberg

Xi Strengthens China’s Economy Ahead of Crucial Trade Talks with Trump

May 9, 2025

Zugalu Entertainment Welcomes Crimson Herring Studios to Its Family!

May 9, 2025
The emerging Trumpification of mental and behavioral health – Axios

The emerging Trumpification of mental and behavioral health – Axios

May 9, 2025
When the pope and politics collide: From the Politics Desk – NBC News

Divine Dilemmas: The Intriguing Intersection of Papacy and Politics

May 9, 2025
Newmont signs deal to use Chrysos Corporation technology – Capital Brief

Newmont Partners with Chrysos Corporation to Revolutionize Mining Technology

May 9, 2025
Pope Leo XIV brings hope to Chicago sports fans, and the Knicks for their Villanova ties – The Independent

Pope Leo XIV Sparks Hope for Chicago Sports Fans and the Knicks with Villanova Connections

May 9, 2025
Beyond the bust: How Ecology spill responders ensure safety after illegal drug operations – Department of Ecology – State of Washington (.gov)

After the Bust: How Ecology Responders Safeguard Communities from Illegal Drug Operations

May 9, 2025
MasterClass Announces Skin Health: A Science-Backed Guide to Healthy Skin – Morningstar

Unlock Radiant Skin: Discover the Science-Backed Secrets to Healthy Skin with MasterClass!

May 9, 2025

Categories

Archives

May 2025
MTWTFSS
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
« Apr    
Earth-News.info

The Earth News is an independent English-language daily published Website from all around the World News

Browse by Category

  • Business (20,132)
  • Ecology (593)
  • Economy (605)
  • Entertainment (21,518)
  • General (15,210)
  • Health (9,647)
  • Lifestyle (610)
  • News (22,149)
  • People (607)
  • Politics (612)
  • Science (15,826)
  • Sports (21,115)
  • Technology (15,595)
  • World (595)

Recent News

Lifestyle brand is giving away an original Rolls-Royce Silver Spur for free, but there’s an $85,000 catch – supercarblondie.com

Win a Classic Rolls-Royce Silver Spur for Free—But There’s an $85,000 Twist!

May 9, 2025
Four Flyers Set to Play in the 2025 IIHF World Championship – NHL.com

Four Flyers Set to Play in the 2025 IIHF World Championship – NHL.com

May 9, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

Go to mobile version