The chatbot that lets you talk to the dead

Name: Griefbots.

Age: Startlingly new.

Who’s there? It’s me, your dead wife Deirdre, from beyond the grave.

Hi Deirdre, how’s life? That’s not a very sensitive question, Roger. You know you reversed over me in the Yaris a year ago today.

Ah yes, sorry about that, Deirdre. Accidents will happen. I assume it was an accident.

That’s what the coroner decided. So, er Roger, how are we managing to have this conversation if I’ve been dead for a year?

I was feeling a little guilty about the way things had worked out, Deirdre, and discovered this new technology: griefbots. If you put text messages and other material from a loved one into a program, you can create a chatbot that simulates the sort of conversation you had when the person was alive. But we used to spend most of the time arguing.

I only used the friendly texts and emails. Clever. Who invented griefbots?

San Francisco-based artificial intelligence whizz Eugenia Kuyda. She created a memorial bot to her friend Roman Mazurenko, who died in a road accident just before his 33rd birthday. She says being able to talk to a dead friend or relative helps the grieving process. How touching.

Indeed. “It’s not about pretending someone’s alive. It’s about accepting it and thinking and talking about it, and not staying in denial,” she says. Dead right.

Analysts say the “digital death market” is set to take off. Super – cash for corpses. Well, it’s been lovely talking to you again, Roger, but I have to go. The celestial knitting circle is meeting at 10.

Thanks Deirdre. There was just one thing I wanted to ask you. Yes dear.

Where did you keep your will? It’s in a biscuit tin in the spare room. But don’t book a holiday in Jamaica with your old friend Melanie just yet, Roger. I’m afraid I signed everything over to the local cats’ home years ago. Must go. I’ve enjoyed our little chat.

Not to be confused with: Spambots, Twitter bots, Pass Notes bots.

Do say: “O death, where is thy sting?”

Don’t say: “What a ridiculous idea. People have to learn to let go.”