Unfinished Rituals: The Double-edged Sword of Digital Afterlives

Abstract

This study aims to reveal the impact of AI resurrection on the mental health of bereaved relatives. The study primarily employs qualitative research and case analysis methodologies.
AI resurrection has a significant dual impact on the mental health of bereaved relatives. On the positive side, AI resurrection can provide an immediate emotional comfort (such as alleviating acute grief and making up for the regret of unspoken goodbyes), assist in psychological healing (as a buffer for trauma and reducing feelings of loneliness), and contribute to cultural continuity (preserving voices, memories, and fulfilling wishes). Cases have shown that it can lower anxiety and depression scores, helping users gradually adapt to reality. However, the misuse of AI resurrection technology can easily hinder the normal grieving process, causing users to become immersed in the illusion that the deceased is still present, delaying acceptance of reality; it may also trigger cognitive dissonance (emotional dependence despite knowing it is virtual), psychological dependency (such as a digital painkiller), distortion of memory and emotions, and social withdrawal. Long-term reliance may lead to complicated grief or depression.
Therefore, ethical guidelines and legal supervision are needed to balance the application of AI resurrection technology, preventing it from being perverted into a digital prison.