“Resurrecting” dead celebrities: Editing and using remnant data of the deceased through AI

Abstract

This paper explores the public perception toward handling remnant data of a celebrity after their death. It attempts to compile or publish these data, aiming to “resurrect” the celebrity through virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI). Although such data are used for the memorial of the deceased, their autonomy and privacy preferences regarding the handling of their data must be addressed. Moreover, businesses that use remnant data of the deceased are emerging. This paper presents the results of an online survey conducted with 1,200 participants. The results showed that the percentage of respondents who wanted to utilize the data was low, with most answering “neither” and “don’t know” to questions regarding handling of remnant data of the deceased. In the responses, clear differences were observed based on gender, religion, and age group, with those by respondents in their 20s and 40s being the most distinctive. The methods preferred by the respondents to utilize remnant data varied according to the circumstances of the death and not celebrity type. In the case of predicted deaths, respondents preferred to compile posthumous data, whereas in the case of suicides, they preferred not to resurrect the individual via AI or VR. This indicates that the demand to resurrect celebrities is currently low; however, this may change in the future, and the ethical aspects will need to be considered.