Social media accounts often outlive their users, leaving questions about what happens when someone passes away. Meta may have found a solution — AI that can simulate a person’s online presence.
In December 2025, Meta was granted a patent, filed in 2023 and attributed to CTO Andrew Bosworth, describing a system where a large language model could “simulate” a user’s activity if they take a long break or are deceased. The AI would be trained on user-specific data such as posts, comments, likes, and other online behaviour, creating a digital stand-in resembling the original account holder.
The patent suggests that this could ease the emotional impact for friends and family. “The impact on the users is much more severe and permanent if that user is deceased and can never return to the social networking platform,” the document stated. For users simply taking breaks, the AI could maintain engagement on the account during their absence.
This concept is part of a growing field called grief tech, which seeks to preserve or recreate aspects of individuals after death. Companies like Replika, You, and Only Virtual have already explored similar ideas. Microsoft, for instance, patented a chatbot in 2021 capable of simulating deceased individuals to help loved ones cope with grief.
While the idea may sound like a glimpse into a dystopian future, Meta has clarified that it “has no plans to move forward with this example.” Patents often explore concepts that may never be implemented, and this could be one of those cases.
Even so, the patent highlights the increasing role of AI in shaping online identities and the ways tech companies imagine bridging the gap between digital life and human mortality.
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