What to know
- Meta received a U.S. patent for AI that could continue a user’s social media activity, including after death.
- The system is designed to train on a person’s past interactions to mimic posts, replies, likes, and other behaviors.
- Meta says it currently has no plans to build or deploy this technology as a product.
- The concept raises questions about digital identity, consent, grief, and privacy in online spaces.
Late in 2025, Meta AI obtained a patent covering an artificial intelligence system that could keep a user’s social media accounts active even if the person stops posting or dies. The document, filed in 2023 and formally granted at the end of last year, describes a large language model trained on an individual’s historical activity — including posts, comments, reactions, messages, and other engagement data — to generate new activity that mirrors how that person used to interact online.
According to the patent, such an AI could not only like or comment on others’ content on behalf of the original account holder but might also respond to direct messages or generate posts in ways that approximate the individual’s typical tone and style. In more advanced scenarios discussed in the documentation, the system might even simulate audio or video interactions based on the recreated digital persona.
Meta’s own description makes clear that the technology isn’t limited to posthumous use. The patent explicitly states that it could operate when a user takes an extended break from social media or becomes inactive for long periods, with death being one particular case of absence. The filing notes that the effect of a permanent absence — when a user can’t return — is especially “severe and permanent” for followers and communities, suggesting this capability would address engagement gaps on the platform.
Despite the provocative nature of these ideas, Meta has publicly stressed that it does not currently plan to deploy this patented technology in any consumer product. Company spokespeople have emphasized that patents often outline concepts and potential ideas that may never be developed or released. A granted patent therefore reflects intellectual property strategy rather than an imminent feature rollout.
The public and industry reaction has been mixed. Supporters of so-called “grief tech” — a category of tools aimed at preserving aspects of a person’s memory or digital legacy — argue that digital stand-ins could help some people feel connected to loved ones they’ve lost or ease the burden of managing social accounts during unavoidable absences. This patent aligns with broader interest in how AI might shape digital afterlife experiences, a field that has already seen startups explore AI companions and digital avatars based on personal data.
Critics, however, raise ethical and privacy concerns about the idea of virtual representations that continue to post after death. They point to questions about consent, the authenticity of interactions, emotional effects on friends and family, and ownership of data long after someone is gone. As digital identity becomes increasingly entwined with personal legacy, the concept of AI-driven posthumous activity underscores broader debates about the rights individuals have over their online presence once they can no longer speak for themselves.
Because the AI described in the patent would learn from a person’s past digital footprint, the issues extend beyond simple automation into territory that touches on privacy, consent, and emotional well-being. Academic research in this area has shown that “digital afterlife” technologies bring complex ethical challenges — from the accuracy and transparency of AI behavior to how societies value post-mortem digital rights — and suggest a need for thoughtful governance if such systems ever move beyond patent filings to real-world use.
This development sits alongside wider industry interest in AI-generated “digital clones” and post-mortem simulation tools, spotlighting ongoing debates about how artificial intelligence should handle human identity, memory, and digital presence after death.
