Meta Platforms Inc., the company behind Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has patented an AI system capable of simulating the social media activity of deceased users, according to Business Insider.
The patent describes an AI model that could like posts, comment, and reply to direct messages on behalf of users who are no longer active, including those who have passed away. It also references technology capable of simulating video and audio calls with deceased individuals.
Andrew Bosworth, Meta’s CTO and primary author of the patent, filed the documentation in 2023. Meta said that filing a patent does not necessarily indicate plans for immediate deployment.
The concept raises ethical and legal questions about digital legacy, but similar approaches have been explored by other companies. Meta has previously introduced a “legacy contact” feature on Facebook and discussed creating realistic virtual avatars of deceased users.
