Digital wills for AI likeness

Updated: 2025.10.01 21D ago 2 sources
As estates and events sell access to AI versions of deceased figures, society will need 'digital wills' that specify what training data, voices, and behaviors are permitted, by whom, and for what contexts. This goes beyond right-of-publicity to govern interactive chat, voice cloning, and improvisation based on a person’s corpus. — It sets a clear policy path for consent and limits around posthumous AI, balancing legacy protection with cultural demand and preventing exploitative uses.

Sources

Should We Bring the Dead Back to Life?
Zoe Cunniffe 2025.10.01 66% relevant
The article discusses VR recreations of deceased people to help the bereaved; this directly invokes the need for 'digital wills' that specify how a person’s data, voice, and likeness may be used posthumously to prevent unauthorized 'virtual ghosts.'
AI-Powered Stan Lee Hologram Debuts at LA Comic Con
EditorDavid 2025.09.29 100% relevant
Hyperreal’s CEO says Stan Lee 'began digitizing himself' for a future digital double, while LA Comic Con charges $15–$20 for chats with the AI avatar.
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