The text explores the burgeoning digital afterlife industry, where companies create digital versions of deceased individuals leveraging personal data. It raises ethical concerns surrounding autonomy, consent, and the implications of datafication, questioning whether individuals can control their digital legacies after death. Through fictional scenarios and real-life examples, the narrative emphasizes the emotional complexities tied to interacting with digital representations of loved ones. Ultimately, it highlights the need for a framework to protect individuals’ rights in relation to their posthumous digital presence and the potential risks involved.
| Signal | Change | 10y horizon | Driving force |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emergence of digital afterlife services | From living to posthumous digital selves | Digital immortality common and accepted | Desire to preserve legacies and memories |
| AI recreates deceased using personal data | From privacy concerns to digital reincarnation | Ethical regulations around digital personas | Advances in AI and data processing capabilities |
| Lack of consent raises ethical questions | From autonomy in life to posthumous use | Regulations ensuring consent for data use | Advocacy for individual rights and privacy |
| Emotional impact of digital interactions | From grief and closure to new forms of relationships | Acceptance or rejection of digital counterparts | Coping mechanisms for loss and grief |
| Potential harm from unauthorized data use | From digital legacy to misrepresentation | Standards for digital identity authenticity | Trust issues with data handling organizations |
| Companies competing in digital immortality industry | From memorialization to interactive bots | Growth of diverse market for digital personas | Market demand for engaging with deceased loved ones |
| Digital estate planning becoming essential | From neglect to proactive digital asset management | Standard practice for individuals’ digital legacies | Growing awareness of digital footprint and legacy |
| Algorithms risk altering digital memories | From static memories to evolving representations | Preservation of original person’s essence becomes contentious | Technological evolution and ethical concerns |