Reading is my happy place. I read more than 20 books a month, so I get value for money from my Kindle Unlimited account.
I like books with dead bodies – mysteries, murder stories, detective stories. I also like books with undead bodies – vampires and ghosts, although I’m not so keen on zombies.
I read other genres as well. I’ve read some humorous books on digital detoxing and influencers.
I’m sure there are books about influencers as dead bodies and as murderers. What I haven’t come across are undead bodies mixed with influencers. That may be about to change.
Posting from the grave
In December 2025, Meta was granted a patent for a system that can use AI to simulate your social activity after you are dead.
This system will use historical activity like posts and comments to create your digital stand-in. It can even respond to posts from people – presumably people who are alive and real.
So you can now have an immortal social media account.
I have only one question: Why?
Your followers will miss you
Meta claims that they have no plans to move forward with the tech. But they still patented it.
According to Meta, this can be useful if you need a break from social media for a while. I’m not sure that AI continuing to post for you is what psychologists mean by “digital detox”.
Meta also claims that in the case of death, if your followers will miss you. Meta is worried that the impact on users will be “severe and permanent” if you can never return to the social media platform.
Really?
Rest in Peace was too quiet.
There is a whole category of tech that aims to help people face the loss of loved ones with eternal digital versions of them. It’s called grief tech.
Yes, we want to digitally store and share memories, videos, letters, and voice recordings.
Yes, we want to livestream memorial services for people who live too far away to attend.
My parents died in 2023 and 2024. I have photos of them in my office that I look at every day. But the idea of having my computer imitate conversations with them is just creepy.
Would you want an AI version of someone you loved? Would you want to be one? I’d love to hear your comments.