Exploring public perceptions of artificial intelligence in bereavement support: a qualitative study of griefbots

Background Artificial intelligence technologies designed to simulate deceased loved ones, often referred to as griefbots, are emerging as a novel form of bereavement support. Although such technologies may offer emotional comfort and a sense of continued connection with the deceased, they also raise complex psychological, ethical, and societal concerns. This study aimed to explore public perceptions of griefbots in bereavement support, with particular attention to perceived benefits, psychological and social risks, ethical concerns, and expectations for responsible governance and institutional integration. Methods A descriptive phenomenological approach was employed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 participants from Guangdong Province, China, and data were analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step method. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants, and the study received ethics approval from Guangzhou Medical University. Results Four themes were identified. Participants perceived griefbots as offering psychosocial benefits, particularly emotional comfort, continued connection with the deceased, and a symbolic means of addressing unresolved loss and regret. At the same time, they expressed concerns about disruption of natural grieving processes, inauthenticity, dependency, psychological harm, social inequality, stigma, and ethical tensions related to data use and posthumous representation. Participants also articulated expectations regarding technology design, use boundaries, governance, and legal safeguards. Overall, perceived acceptability was not organized around simple approval or rejection, but was described as conditional, shaped by context, individual readiness, and perceived vulnerability. Conclusion Griefbots were perceived as neither inherently beneficial nor inherently harmful. Instead, their comfort and risk were understood to arise from the same capacity to simulate the continued presence of the deceased. Public perceptions of AI in bereavement support were therefore best understood as conditional and negotiated, underscoring the need for careful governance and responsible integration in bereavement-related contexts.