Vox · 17 Oct, 11:00 · Artificial Intelligence briefing

AI can help us talk with the dead. Should we?

Recent reports highlight emerging technologies that utilise artificial intelligence to simulate conversations with deceased individuals.

What it means for you ↓ Courses for this story

25–40%salary premium for professionals with applied AI skills

11xgrowth in AI job adverts since 2019

66%of leaders won't hire without AI literacy

20days to your first credential

The briefing

The story
in brief.

What happened, who it affects, and why it landed on our intelligence desk — in plain English, sixty seconds or less.

Recent reports highlight emerging technologies that utilise artificial intelligence to simulate conversations with deceased individuals. These systems analyse personal data to create interactive digital avatars, raising significant ethical and psychological questions. While the technology offers potential comfort for grieving families, experts warn of profound implications for privacy, consent, and mental well-being. The debate centres on whether such interactions provide genuine closure or merely exploit vulnerability. Professionals must consider the legal and ethical frameworks surrounding posthumous data usage, as this innovation challenges traditional boundaries of grief and digital legacy management.

Employer demand for AI Strategy skills — indexed growth since 2019
Indicative index of skill mentions in professional job postings for the field this story moves (2019 = 1)

Your move

What this means
for your career.

Every headline redistributes opportunity. Here is who this one rewards — and how to be on the right side of it.

This development signals a critical shift in how organisations handle data ethics and consumer trust. You must prioritise skills in ethical AI governance and legal compliance. Professionals in technology, law, and human resources should monitor regulatory changes closely. A smart move is to deepen your understanding of data privacy laws and psychological impacts of digital interactions. Consider upskilling in ethical frameworks to advise your organisation on responsible implementation. This niche requires balancing innovation with empathy, making ethical reasoning a high-value competency. Stay ahead by integrating these considerations into your strategic planning.

For this story, the fields that convert it into pay are AI Strategy, Compliance And Governance, Psychology and Artificial Intelligence — exactly the programmes matched below. The chart shows the indicative salary uplift certified professionals report in each of those fields; every one of them is a click away, from £79, finishing in as few as 20 days.

Indicative salary uplift in the fields matched to this story
Indicative ranges from published continuing-education salary studies, by field — each field is a recommended course below

Matched to this story

Enrol in these
to benefit.

These programmes position you for exactly this shift — online, self-paced, and finishing with a verifiable certificate you can share the day you pass.