‘I miss you’: Woman speaks to AI version of her son, allegedly unaware he died last year

What happened?

It has been reported that a woman has been speaking regularly to an AI recreation of her son, allegedly unaware that he died last year. The story surfaced in a Reddit thread on r/technology, where users shared screenshots and accounts that have since drawn thousands of comments. According to the posts, a company created a digital twin of the young man — a chatbot built to mimic his voice and manner — and the mother reached out to it in grief, saying, “I miss you.” Heartbreaking. Unnerving. A scene straight out of a Black Mirror episode.

The reaction

Redditors reacted with a mix of sympathy and outrage. Some called it a compassionate use of technology — a way for the bereaved to feel connected. Others blasted the practice as exploitative, questioning consent and the emotional harm of blurring the line between life and simulation. It has been reported that commenters debated whether the company informed the family or obtained explicit permission; those claims remain unverified and, for now, alleged. Which is it: a digital balm or a cruel illusion?

The company and legal questions

Details about the firm behind the AI twin remain murky. It has been reported that the company created the model from available data, but it is unclear what data sources were used or whether the deceased’s wishes were respected. That uncertainty opens a tangle of legal and ethical issues — posthumous consent, data ownership, and liability if the interaction causes harm. Regulators are still catching up to generative AI; real-world cases like this push the conversation from abstract policy papers into gut-level human consequences.

Why it matters

This is more than a viral Reddit tale. It spotlights a growing industry: grief tech, resurrection AI, call it what you will. People want comfort; companies see opportunity. But can code truly stand in for a person? Or are we dressing up absence with clever mimicry and calling it closure? As lawmakers, ethicists and families puzzle through answers, one thing is clear: technology can amplify our hopes and our wounds at the same time.

Sources: reddit