Collins Dictionary, a British publisher, named “AI” as its “Word of the Year for 2023”.  In doing so they added this explanation, “AI, short for artificial intelligence, is a term that describes “the modeling of human mental functions by computer programs.”

 

Using that definition, “the modeling of human mental functions by computer programs“, where will Artificial Intelligence eventually find its place in the death care profession?  I think that is really hard to predict at this time.

 

This article from the English edition of the Shanghai News of China does illustrate to us that creative artificial intelligence may have its place at some point in time.  The article tells us that “Fu Shou Yuan International Group, China’s largest cemetery and funeral service provider, launched a “AI tribute” program” in December 2023.

 

That program created a “digital person” which then was able to be shown in a video message.  “AI technology can reproduce the voice, appearance, traits, and even thinking patterns of the deceased for the ‘digital human,'” said Fu Shou Yuan International Group’s information chief Tang Yang.

 

Tang Yang continued with this prediction,  “The ‘digital human’ will comfort those grieving and lessen their anguish.  Protecting the image will extend the family’s spiritual legacy.”

 

Funeral Director Daily take:  I think Artificial Intelligence is probably a ways down the road with this type of memorialization.  When ChatGPT came to the forefront about a year ago many thought that by simply mentioning someone’s name and asking ChatGPT to do so, an obituary could be produced.

 

Well, I think that obituary can probably be produced for some people, but the context and some of the facts may not be correct.  This may come down the road, but it is not here yet.

 

Last week many of the world’s public company CEO’s and others from the worlds of finance and government were in Davos, Switzerland, at the annual World Economic Forum.  It was interesting to see and hear some of the talk concerning Artificial Intelligence.  AI is not the first game changing breakthrough in technology over the years. . . Remember, cell phones, the internet, and the cloud?  Or what about the last big game changer that was supposed to happen — driverless cars.

 

Those breakthroughs all happened. . . . but none as fast as was first thought.  Driverless cars, all the rage five years ago, are still not on our roads in any scaled capacity.  I will tell you that my son did take a taxi ride via “Waymo”, the driverless car in the Phoenix area, and was impressed. . . .but, like I said, driverless cars are not here in any scaled-capacity yet.

 

As I listened to some of the AI talk in Davos last week among the CEO’s, I learned that AI is really promising, much like cell phones, the internet, and the Cloud were years ago.  However, even though products develop faster these days, I’d be much more concerned about giving service to families at my funeral home than I would be about AI replacing funeral directors or obituary writers any time soon.

 

In listening to some of the talks, I learned that there is a proven pathway to these new technologies coming to market. . . . First, the products are developed by the hardware vendors.  In AI I assume that is the chipmakers like Nvidia.  Then it takes what are called the “Super Scalers” – companies like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, that put the technology into their products which then are brought to the enterprise software companies who offer business solutions to their clients.

 

Eventually one of those software companies finds a solution to an issue in funeral service with the technologies and offers the product to those it can help.  In my opinion, it will be a while before we get there in a relatively niche industry like death care.  And, who knows how it will help us.

 

Here’s how one observer comprehended the AI talk in Davos, “. . . there are others who think the hype has gotten ahead of itself. Much like the enthusiasm surrounding autonomous driving that took more time and complexity to deliver, generative AI-powered everything might not be here quite yet.”

 

And, here’s how Cloudfare CEO Matthew Prince summed up his thoughts,  “2024 is going to be kind of the year of the AI letdown.  I don’t think these products are going to come in 2024. They may not even come in 2025. I think they’re coming, but it’s actually going to take us learning how to do engineering in a different sort of way.”

 

So, my take for what it is worth with AI and funeral homes in 2024. . . . . don’t get too overexcited that you never have to physically write an obituary ever again.  AI will come to death care, but I don’t think we really have any idea yet what form that will take and what tasks it will replace. . . . . Keep your eyes and ears open, but in the meantime keep doing the things that are making you successful at this time.

 

Artificial Intelligence will have an effect on funeral service and death care. . . . sometime.

 

Related — There will probably be more opportunity on the “Sales” side of death care for AI before it will actually be of help in the servicing of the profession.  It’s interesting, because it is out there already in some capacity.  For instance, the logo you see displayed with this short note is a creation of Artificial Intelligence as a friend I was talking to while I was doing this article asked an AI app to create a logo for Funeral Director Daily. . . The logo you see was created in less than two seconds.

 

More news from the world of Death Care:

• “These stories, really, they stick with you”, State lawmaker anticipates passage of bill drafted to regulate funeral professionals.  Video news story and print article.  CBS Channel 11 – Colorado Springs (CO)
• Colorado Springs woman claims her dog’s cremation was mishandled by Humane Society.  Video news story and print article.  WRDO – Channel 13 – Colorado Springs (CO)

 

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