Meta has patented an AI to operate a deceased person's social media account based on their historical data. This signals a strategic interest in preserving the network effects and engagement potential of a user's social graph indefinitely, raising profound questions about digital afterlives and perpetual monetization.
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The "Dead Internet" theory posits that AI will fill social networks with lifeless content. A more accurate model is the "Zombie Internet," where AI-generated content is not just passive slop but actively responds and interacts with users, creating a simultaneously dead and alive experience.
Using a proprietary AI is like having a biographer document your every thought and memory. The critical danger is that this biography is controlled by the AI company; you can't read it, verify its accuracy, or control how it's used to influence you.
AI apps creating interactive digital avatars of deceased loved ones are becoming technologically and economically viable. While framed as preserving a legacy, this "digital immortality" raises profound questions about the grieving process and emotional boundaries, for which society lacks the psychological and ethical frameworks.
The controversy over AI-generated content extends far beyond intellectual property. The emotional distress caused to families, as articulated by Zelda Williams regarding deepfakes of her late father, highlights a profound and often overlooked human cost of puppeteering the likenesses of deceased individuals.
Owning the intellectual property of a well-known historical figure is a powerful asset. Use generative AI to "bring them back" as a virtual influencer. This character can create new content and engage modern audiences, but with the massive head start of pre-existing fame, authority, and credibility.
The controversial AI-generated Scott Adams podcast highlights a gaping hole in estate planning. The incident suggests an emerging need for a legal instrument akin to a 'Do Not Resuscitate' order, allowing individuals to legally specify whether their likeness can be replicated by AI after their death.
Social media thrives on the psychological reward of posting for human validation. As AI bots become indistinguishable from real users, this feedback loop breaks, undermining the fundamental incentive to post and threatening the entire social media model which is predicated on authentic human receipt.
A publicly traded company acquired Khabe Lame's brand with plans to create an AI version of him. This "digital twin" can generate content and run marketing campaigns 24/7, overcoming human limitations. It represents a new model for scaling an influencer's brand and monetizing their audience.
Accessible tools like Open Claw are making "Dead Internet Theory" a reality by allowing individuals to automate their social media presence. Users deploy bots to generate and comment on content, creating a world where AI agents increasingly interact with each other, degrading the authenticity of online platforms.
AI services that simulate conversations with deceased loved ones, while ethically controversial, will likely achieve product-market fit. They tap into the powerful and universal human fear of loss, creating durable demand from those experiencing grief, much like how people use chatbots for companionship.
