Unsurprisingly, the machines are already being used in the funeral business. The last couple years I’ve seen obituaries, service cards, even images created through a variety of tools.

Trying to live a life free of this technology is becoming as hard as trying to live without oil, and now even our deaths are tainted by it.

My mother passed in January. I went with my dad and a close family friend to the funeral home to get things sorted for the funeral. One of which was her obituary which was completely written by AI. The lady just asked us who her living family was, her parents names, her job, and hobbies. Put all that into their AI program and let it write several paragraphs. I wasn’t expecting a personal and heartfelt obituary from a complete stranger, but seeing them just have AI do it left a bad taste in my mouth.

I’m sorry you were exposed to that at a time when you should have been insulated from the cruel indifference of technology. For a profession that once took pride in the personal touch, providing such an impersonal experience is appalling.

It seems especially horrid seeing as an obituary specifically is sort of the most formulaic aspect of funerals. Anyone that’s read them in the paper could tell you they tend to follow a pretty similar structure. It’s so lazy to use these machines to do something so rudimentary.

You and your father have my sympathies for your mother’s passing. I hope you’re both finding ways to continue onward. Undoubtedly she would hope the same.