The use of AI technology for therapeutic purposes, we are fascinated by the emergence of AI ‘ghosts’ but also deeply concerned about their potential impact on mental health, particularly in the context of grief.
While these digital recreations of deceased loved ones may offer comfort to the bereaved by allowing them to reconnect and express feelings they never had the chance to before, there are potential risks to mental health.
Grief is a complex process that takes time, and using AI ghosts as a permanent solution to mourning could hinder the natural stages of grief.
The uncanny resemblance and potentially harmful emotional dependence on these ghostbots could interfere with the healthy processing of loss.
There are also risks of AI ghosts saying harmful things or giving bad advice, similar to the issues seen with generative chatbots like ChatGPT.
These ghostbots could exacerbate problems associated with complicated grief, such as hallucinations and delusions.
It is important to remember that forgetting is a crucial part of the mourning process, and finding new ways to remember and properly forget the deceased is essential for healing.
Oversight and human supervision will be necessary as this technology advances to ensure its ethical use in supporting mental health.
