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Griefbots interview THIS MORNING

(18 Posts)
Bea65 Mon 22-Sept-25 10:39:07

Did anyone see/hear this video interview from LA whereby the guy has set up this service so he can program a phone call for you from a deceased person? He played a phone conversation with his dead mother with AI response…

Not sure I would use this service but it might help someone grieving… I lean thinking this blurs the reality of life and death is final …but not with AI …what do GNs think?

Oreo Mon 22-Sept-25 12:52:18

Interesting isn’t it? It’s like a bereaved person listening to recordings of a voice they want to hear on their phone.I’m usually inclined to think anything that helps is fine but think it isn’t healing really and won’t help with the acceptance of death.
It may even prolong the grieving process.

butterandjam Mon 22-Sept-25 12:58:46

How bloody weird....and unnecessary.

For decades after my mother died, I used to have phone calls to and from her in my dreams. We both enjoyed it.

Bea65 Mon 22-Sept-25 14:07:36

Yes it’s abit weird/creepy but the service provider seemed Ok with hearing his mother’s voice and actually asked questions.. the sound tone was his mom and ‘she’ answered in the same tone as He imagined She would..

Bit like when you listen to an audio msg left on answerphone you haven’t deleted …

He did pose questions and the Griefbot answered them … very sci fi is AI

Babs03 Mon 22-Sept-25 14:31:37

No no no. I couldn’t do that. I imagine my parents voices in my head and what they would say to me when I am feeling down etc., but is them, or rather my memory of them, whereas this phone call would be an AI bot even though it might sound like them.

Babs03 Mon 22-Sept-25 14:51:55

Btw I don’t tend to have voices in my head 🫤

keepingquiet Mon 22-Sept-25 15:10:29

No it's horrible.

I watched a Storyville documentary on this a while ago and it was quite horrifying. I don't think people were at all aware of what they were getting into and became addicted to speaking with robots whilst their loved ones were dead and never coming back.

I thought the whole thing was disgusting and so wrong.

What a crazy world we live in, where people want to help loved ones commit suicide, and then when they're dead they want to pretend they're talking to them???

Dylis Mon 22-Sept-25 15:19:49

My brother in law died five years ago. My sister in law constantly visits various mediums to "contact" him.
I think that it simply prolongs her grief. She is convinced that he contacts her through these people.

keepingquiet Mon 22-Sept-25 18:48:22

Dylis

My brother in law died five years ago. My sister in law constantly visits various mediums to "contact" him.
I think that it simply prolongs her grief. She is convinced that he contacts her through these people.

This is much worse than that. Whilst I don't approve of mediums I do understand why people would want that comfort. However, mediums believe that the deceased have past into presumably, a spiritual realm and are no longer alive.

This talking to robots isn't the same and convinces some of the bereaved that their loved ones are still alive.

Also a medium is exactly that, an intermediary, these computer simulations are contacted directly by the bereaved on web-site.

Chaitriona Tue 23-Sept-25 14:17:16

I would like my father to hear how much I loved him but robots have no feelings.

Skye17 Tue 23-Sept-25 14:57:03

I don’t like the idea…

Romola Tue 23-Sept-25 18:17:33

I find this whole idea weird and distasteful. I know my DH is dead and I shall never see him or hear his voice again except sometimes in my dreams.
And like most people, I talk, usually silently, to dead people whom I loved.
This is analogous to having a pet stuffed by a taxidermist. They are not there any more.

Mojack26 Tue 23-Sept-25 22:17:51

Nope,not healthy.....and it's creepy!

Allira Tue 23-Sept-25 22:18:48

No it's horrible.

It's just weird and playing on people's distress.

FranP Tue 23-Sept-25 22:33:33

My aunt took my mum's answering machine, because my late father had recorded the message.

sazz1 Tue 23-Sept-25 23:36:30

I thought it was really weird and not really a sane thing to do. This person needs help with letting go of his deceased mother. He's pretending she's still alive. This is very sad.

nexus63 Wed 24-Sept-25 08:37:54

i would love to hear my husband whom i lost 21 years ago when i was 39, but i am too sensible and know in my heart that it would not be him, maybe it would help some people but i think it just prolongs the grief, although it might be something that would help a child to understand that a parent has gone and can't come back.

keepingquiet Wed 24-Sept-25 08:40:30

No- children would be even more vulnerable in this situation.
Good bereavement counselling and family support can never be relaced by robots.