The British government has announced an urgent review of AI-powered ‘resurrection’ services, following reports that Russian families are using the technology to create digital avatars of soldiers killed in the Ukraine war. The move signals growing alarm over the ethical and security implications of grief-driven deepfakes. The Ministry of Justice will lead the review, focusing on the legality of using personal data of the deceased without consent.
Critics argue these services exploit vulnerable people, while tech ethicists warn of a ‘Black Mirror’ scenario where the dead are unwillingly digitised for profit. The review will also examine cross-border implications, as many AI resurrection platforms operate from jurisdictions with lax data laws. ‘We cannot allow the manipulation of grief to become a vector for disinformation or psychological harm,’ said a government spokesperson.
The announcement follows a BBC investigation revealing websites that allow users to generate video or voice clones of the deceased from as little as £10 worth of uploaded media. One platform, ‘Eternal You’, claims to use ‘quantum emotional processing’ to mimic the dead’s mannerisms. Experts remain sceptical, noting that current models are sophisticated but far from sentient.
The government’s review will run for 12 weeks, with recommendations expected to include new data protection frameworks and potential criminal penalties for unauthorised digital resurrection. For families already grieving, the line between comfort and exploitation has never been thinner.
