Due to recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI), it’s now possible to digitally “revive” dead people and interact with them.

These “resurrections” are sometimes voluntary and planned, but other times, they happen without the consent of families or loved ones. Humans have always fantasized about living forever. But what are we to make of this new way of “artificially” prolonging our existence? Is it desirable? What are the main ethical issues raised by the emergence of “griefbots” or “deadbots?”

As an associate professor at the School of Public Health (ESPUM) at the Université de Montréal, I am an ethicist and researcher who specializes in governance, ethics, law, AI and responsible research conduct.

I lead a research project called Artificial Immortality: Ethical, legal and artistic perspectives. As part of this project, I’ve published an article with two students on the ethical considerations of artificial immortality.

Posthumous digital avatars are created from the digital traces left behind by dead people during their lifetime. Social media posts, photos, audio and video recordings are all traces that can be used to feed these avatars. Built through a combination of AI, machine learning and advanced data analysis, these avatars can recreate the physical and psychological likeness, personality and even memories of the deceased.

The result is that users may be left in doubt about whether or not this is the “real” person. This technology is taking root in a world where virtual life has become well established. So interactions with a digital avatar, whether posthumous or not, are becoming almost commonplace. But the advent of posthumous avatars raises significant ethical issues.

Read more: Près de 80 % des travailleurs canadiens utilisent l’IA sans cadre institutionnel

Autonomy, data protection and privacy

Amid these concerns, particular attention must be paid to respect for autonomy and data privacy, the reshaping of interpersonal and........

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