More funeral companies and grieving families are turning to AI chatbots to write obituaries for loved ones. This trend highlights how technology is increasingly involved in even the most emotional parts of life. The use of AI in the death care industry is gaining attention, especially after last year’s National Funeral Directors Association conference in Las Vegas. There, AI tools were a hot topic, with one developer calling it the greatest advancement in funeral tech since embalming.

At the conference, an app called Nemu won second place in the Innovation Awards. It uses AI to catalog and value a deceased person’s belongings, helping families divide possessions. Meanwhile, others see AI as a way to foster connection after loss. Sonali George, who created an AI obituary generator called CelebrateAlley, says AI can be an “enabler of human connection.” She suggests that AI-written tributes might help friends and family express feelings they find hard to put into words, like funny stories or heartfelt reasons for love.

The idea of using AI to write obituaries is part of a bigger trend. Silicon Valley tech wants to make daily life easier, even in grief. Instead of writing a condolence message or a tribute, some see AI as a quick, simple way to do it. Jeff Fargo, a man from Nevada, shared how ChatGPT helped him memorialize his mother. He said he poured his feelings into a prompt, and the AI produced a touching tribute. Fargo felt it captured what he wanted to say, even though he wasn’t in the best emotional state.

Now Fargo plans to use AI again when he needs to write his father’s obituary someday. He’s excited about a new ChatGPT feature called Deep Research mode, which he believes will produce an even better tribute. He hopes his children will use the technology to honor him when the time comes. For many, AI offers a way to process grief more quickly and with less stress. But not everyone agrees that rushing through mourning is healthy.

Writing an obituary can be a meaningful part of grieving. It’s a chance to reflect on someone’s life, share memories, and find closure. For some, it’s a cathartic act that helps them cope. A woman who lives with her elderly parents, and whose son developed an AI obituary tool, expressed concern about how AI might diminish this process. She feels that quick digital tributes could make people less willing to take the time needed to truly remember their loved ones.

Critics also point out that AI-generated obituaries have flaws. Testing the CelebrateAlley tool, which uses models from OpenAI and Anthropic, revealed that the AI often invents details and adds overly flowery language. When asked to write about a fictional person named Jimmy, the AI created elaborate descriptions of his kindness and strength, despite having no real information. These embellishments can make the obituaries seem less genuine and more superficial.

Some experts believe that the most touching obituaries are raw and imperfect. Mary McGreevy, who runs a popular TikTok account dedicated to reading obituaries, says that the best ones are honest and heartfelt. They don’t need to be polished or professional. Instead, they reveal the true personality of the person, with all their flaws and quirks. McGreevy argues that AI’s tendency to “airbrush” these stories can strip away what makes them meaningful.

In the end, AI can be a helpful tool, but it’s not a substitute for genuine human connection. Grief is personal and complex, and writing about someone’s life is often a cathartic and healing process. While technology offers convenience, it’s important to remember that the most meaningful tributes come from the heart, imperfect as they may be. As AI continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how it shapes our ways of remembering and honoring those we lose.

Inspired by

• https://futurism.com/funeral-homes-chatgpt-obituaries

Sources

• gmpg.org
• washingtonpost.com
• theguardian.com