Artificial Continuing Bonds
A Proposed Framework for Responsible Integration of Generative AI in Clinical Thanatology
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 13630509 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Alexander Manevich (0000-0003-4977-1116, Ruppin Academic Center, corresponding author), Shani Aluma (Kinneret College on the Sea of Galilee) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Pages | 302228251372418-302228251372418 |
| Publication date | 2025-08-25 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0030-2228 • E-ISSN: 1541-3764 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/00302228251372418 |
| PMID | 40854560 |
| OpenAlex | W4413770298 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 30 |
This article explores the integration of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) into the field of thanatology, with particular attention to its ethical, societal, and clinical implications. In recent years, GenAI technologies have increasingly been applied in mental-health settings, including the use of chatbots and so-called "deathbots" - digital simulations of deceased individuals that some mourners engage with to sustain a sense of connection and emotional comfort. While such technologies may offer therapeutic potential, they also raise significant ethical and practical challenges. Despite rising academic interest, empirical research in this domain remains scarce, and the field still lacks a cohesive body of knowledge. This article reviews current developments and key debates in the field and proposes a preliminary framework for the responsible integration of GenAI in grief-related practices. The framework outlines four critical pillars: ethical and regulatory oversight, development of theoretical foundations, promotion of empirical inquiry, and implementation of clinically informed practices
Cognitive science · Generative grammar · Social science · Sociology · Thanatology · Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues · Psychology
Griefbots, Deadbots, Postmortem Avatars
A case for inclusion of disordered Non-Death Interpersonal Grief as an official diagnosis
Towards a postmortal society of virtualised ancestors? The Virtual Deceased Person and the preservation of the social bond
The impact of continuing bonds following bereavement
I Want My Loved One Back Virtually”
Attitudes Toward Digital Immortality and Related Factors Among Older Adults
Too human and not human enough
Internalized and Externalized Continuing Bonds in Bereaved Parents
Grief Coach
The Dual Process Model of Coping With Bereavement
The Trauma and Complicated Grief of Ambiguous Loss
A two-track model of bereavement
Griefbots. A New Way of Communicating With The Dead
My Chatbot Companion - a Study of Human-Chatbot Relationships
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |