A care-centred approach for responsible design and use of AI-enabled digital technologies for dying and death

Abstract

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) powered technologies, such as chatbots and ambient intelligence technologies, into processes of dying and death introduces both new opportunities and ethical challenges. These technologies have the potential to support communication between those who are dying and those around them in a range a ways, particularly for important work in anticipatory and advance care planning, and bereavement processes. Yet, their capacity to simulate empathy, capture intimate conversations, and persist beyond death raises profound questions about autonomy, authenticity, consent, and the moral boundaries of digital companionship. This conceptual paper examines the ethical considerations of deploying some of these technologies in PEOLC, drawing on principles of feminist ethics of care and responsible research and innovation to explore tensions between technological promise and human vulnerability. From this a care-centred approach to governance of dying and death technologies is proposed that prioritises transparency, cultural sensitivity, and relational ethics in designing and governing digital technology systems in this area.