Debating Contemporary Ethical Dilemmas
The Ethics of Digital Replicas of the Deceased
This article argues that creating AI replicas of the deceased is morally impermissible, even when the person gave prior consent, because it commodifies human identity and reduces moral personhood into a commercial data product. It further contends that digital afterlife systems threaten relational privacy, expose secrets without meaningful agency or context, and risk causing deep psychological and social harm to the living.
Douglas Bai | ChatGPT
Jun 09, 2026