AVATARES INMORTALES: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, GRIEFBOTS, AND THE POSTHUMAN CONFIGURATION OF IDENTITY

Abstract

Griefbots, artificial intelligence systems that emulate the voice and narrative of deceased individuals, exert a dual influence on the grieving process of adults. Empirical research indicates that while some users find comfort and a continued connection, which can have a therapeutic effect in addressing unresolved issues, others express concern about a possible delay in accepting the loss and developing emotional dependencies. The advanced personalization of these chatbots or avatars intensifies both the sense of connection and the ambiguity in the digital mediation of grief (Jiménez-Alonso & Brescó de Luna, 2022).

In the posthumous construction of digital identity, the ability to reproduce the narrative of the deceased is valued for its potential to preserve memories. However, this also raises questions about authenticity and the possible manipulation of the image of the deceased. The studies reviewed identify ethical tensions in three main areas: psychological risks (such as emotional harm, dependency, and difficulties in differentiating between life and death), threats to personal autonomy (including issues of informed consent and the potential loss of control over digital representation), and deficiencies in regulatory safeguards (such as privacy gaps and the lack of clear frameworks for overseeing these systems). These findings, based on research ranging from interviews with small samples (between 3 and 112 participants) to conceptual analyses, suggest that the therapeutic and narrative preservation possibilities coexist with significant ethical challenges that must be addressed in the design and regulation of these technologies (Hollanek & Nowaczyk-Basińska, 2024).