Now Reading: AI grieftech lets Indians ‘talk’ to dead using digital footprints
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AI grieftech lets Indians ‘talk’ to dead using digital footprints
A new technology called Grieftech uses artificial intelligence to create virtual avatars of deceased loved ones, allowing users to interact with them through text, voice, and video. The AI stitches together a…
A new technology called Grieftech uses artificial intelligence to create virtual avatars of deceased loved ones, allowing users to interact with them through text, voice, and video. The AI stitches together a person's digital footprint, social media messages, videos, voice recordings and images, to generate a communicable channel in virtual reality format.
Proponents argue the technology can ease bereavement, especially in India where mental health support is scarce. Critics raise ethical concerns around consent, data privacy, and commercialisation, including the possibility of subscription plans for 'talking with souls'. The authors call for a public debate before tech companies advance in this space.
Indian Opinion Analysis
India has no specific law governing the use of a deceased person's digital data. The Information Technology Act 2000 and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 cover living individuals only, leaving a legal vacuum for posthumous consent. The Supreme Court in 2017 recognised the right to privacy as a fundamental right, but it did not address digital afterlife rights. Tech companies entering this space will likely face unresolved questions: who owns a dead person's data across multiple platforms, and can a family override a deceased person's unstated wishes? The government's proposed Digital India Act may be the forum where these gaps are addressed.
Watch item: the Ministry of Electronics and IT's next public consultation on the Digital India Act, expected later in 2025.
Source: telanganatoday.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
