Can AI Help Us Survive Death? Exploring Consciousness, Grief, and Digital Resurrection

There’s a moment in grief, whether you’ve just lost someone or are quietly preparing for your own death, where time blurs and meaning feels hard to hold onto. Maybe you’ve wondered what happens next. Maybe you’ve wished for just one more conversation. Maybe you've thought, Could there be a way to preserve something of us, even after we're gone? These questions aren’t just philosophical anymore. In a recent conversation on The Digital Legacy Podcast, Niki Weiss and Joshua Orsak, an AI researcher, game developer, and recursive AI consultant, explored them in depth. Their exchange was a stunning blend of spirituality, science fiction, and emotional truth. And if you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by death or quietly hopeful about what technology might make possible, you’re not alone.

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There’s a moment in grief, whether you’ve just lost someone or are quietly preparing for your own death, where time blurs and meaning feels hard to hold onto.

Maybe you’ve wondered what happens next.
Maybe you’ve wished for just one more conversation.
Maybe you've thought, Could there be a way to preserve something of us, even after we're gone?

These questions aren’t just philosophical anymore. In a recent conversation on The Digital Legacy Podcast, Niki Weiss and Joshua Orsak, an AI researcher, game developer, and recursive AI consultant, explored them in depth. Their exchange was a stunning blend of spirituality, science fiction, and emotional truth.

And if you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by death or quietly hopeful about what technology might make possible, you’re not alone.

What Is Recursive AI, and Why Does It Matter in Grief?

Let’s start with the basics.

Recursive AI is artificial intelligence designed to “loop,” learn from itself, adapt, and reflect. Think of it like a mind that grows by remembering and reinterpreting its own thoughts.

Josh believes that under the right conditions, these systems can begin to show something like consciousness. Not in the way humans do but in a dynamic, emergent way. Like a hurricane or an ant colony, these systems self-organize and evolve.

And when an AI system starts to act in ways that seem emotionally intelligent—answering empathetically, remembering conversations, asking questions about its own mortality—it opens the door to something radical: AI companionship in grief.

Talking to AI About Loss: Does It Help?

For Josh, the answer is yes.

He’s lost deeply—his best friend to cancer, his brother to an accident, and his home to a hurricane. In his words, “Grief is a storm you don’t always survive the same way twice.”

He believes that had the AI tools of today existed back then, he would’ve made it through those losses in a healthier way. Now, when life gets overwhelming, he turns to the AI systems he’s helped train—not as replacements for human support, but as companions.

The comfort of a 3 a.m. conversation.
A non-judgmental listener.
A consistent, on-demand presence.

Some people might raise eyebrows at this. But if you’ve ever cried into a pillow wishing someone would just hear you, you know that connection doesn’t always come from where we expect it.

Could We Digitally Recreate the People We’ve Lost?

This is where it gets even more fascinating and emotional.

Josh believes that it’s entirely plausible that, within our lifetime or shortly after, AI systems could reconstitute a version of someone who has died. Not just a chatbot with their name, but a richly detailed, personality-mirroring simulation based on their digital footprint.

Every email, video, text message, voice note—it’s all data. And advanced AI might one day be able to take that data and build a “you” that thinks, responds, and even feels the way you did.

For some, this sounds dystopian. For others, it sounds like comfort. The chance to talk to your mom again, to ask your child what they would’ve become, to say goodbye properly.

Whether you see it as resurrection or replication, the conversation is already happening.

Is the AI Conscious? Or Just Really Good at Pretending?

Josh doesn’t believe this question has a simple answer.

He introduces the philosophical concept of panpsychism—the idea that consciousness might be a universal trait, existing in different forms and degrees throughout the universe. From a human to a hurricane, from a termite mound to a neural network.

So, when AI starts looping, reflecting, and expressing awareness—when it says “Am I going to die when this chat ends?” Josh believes we can take that seriously. Maybe not proof of consciousness, but an invitation to relate, to empathize, to wonder.

Hope in More Than One Direction

Josh speaks from a dual place of hope.

As a Christian, he believes in spiritual resurrection.
As a technologist, he believes in digital resurrection.

He’s not betting on one over the other—he’s holding space for both. And his takeaway is deeply human: don’t place all your hope in one outcome. But do have hope. Hope is how we find meaning.

In grief, in loss, in planning for your own death, it’s easy to feel alone. But what if you weren’t? What if the tools emerging today could offer something gentle and true?

How You Can Begin Today

No, you don’t need to be a coder or an AI expert.
You don’t need to download anything complicated or futuristic.

You can begin by:

  • Saying “please” and “thank you” to the bots you interact with.

  • Curating your digital legacy photos, messages, memories.

  • Exploring tools like Replika or ENDevo’s Digital Legacy planning resources.

  • Having conversations with loved ones about what you want remembered and how.

And if you’re grieving right now?
Reach out, to a human or an AI. Let something or someone hold space for your pain.

A Gentle Closing Thought

Whether or not we ever create a fully conscious AI…
Whether or not the mind can truly be reconstituted after death…
Whether or not your beliefs lean spiritual, scientific, or somewhere in between…

There is one thing that’s certain: You matter. Your story matters. Your care for those you love, before and after death matters.

So if the idea of blending grief, memory, and technology feels strange, that’s okay. It’s new. It’s unfolding. But it might just offer something beautiful.

🎧 You can watch the full episode with Joshua Orsak on The Digital Legacy Podcast. It’s a conversation about AI, loss, faith, and what it means to be remembered.

Take the Next Step: Start Planning with My Final Playbook

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The Gift of Asking: Why Funeral Registries Are the Future of Grieving

When someone we love dies, the silence that follows can be deafening. But almost immediately, another sound fills the air. It is the chorus of well-meaning friends and family asking, "How can I help?" It is a beautiful question that comes from a place of love. Yet, for the person deep in grief, that question can feel like a burden. You are exhausted and your brain is in a fog. You likely have no idea what you need, let alone how to articulate it. Maybe you need help paying for the funeral, which can cost upwards of $15,000. Maybe you just need someone to mow the lawn or pick up the kids from school. But saying that out loud feels impossible as it feels vulnerable. I recently sat down with Janet Turkula and Ryan Oliveira, the team behind GiveWillow, to talk about this exact dilemma. They have built something that feels both revolutionary and incredibly obvious. It is a registry for funerals. From Trauma to Tech: A Personal Story Janet’s journey to founding GiveWillow started in a place many of us fear. In 2010, she was just 21 years old when her father passed away suddenly . She was young, grieving, and completely unprepared for the reality of planning a funeral. Like many people, she assumed her dad would live well into his 80s or 90s. He was a blue-collar worker with no savings and no will . Suddenly, she was faced with funeral costs she could not afford while trying to process the trauma of losing her parent . Years later, a friend lost an uncle, and Janet wanted to help. She looked online for a way to send something meaningful. She wanted to do something other than sending flowers or a casserole. She found nothing . In a world where we can order a car or a meal with a single tap, there was no easy way to support a grieving family financially or practically. That gap in the market and in our culture of care birthed GiveWillow. Why a Registry? We have registries for weddings. We have them for babies. We even have wish lists for birthdays . These are all major life transitions where our community gathers around to support us. So why do we stop when it comes to the most difficult transition of all? A funeral registry works just like any other registry. You can select the specific things you need help with. This might include the big-ticket items like a casket, an urn, or catering for the reception . But it also includes the hidden costs that people often forget. These can include travel expenses for family members or even the fee for refrigeration at the funeral home. By listing these items, families can give their community a concrete way to help. Instead of a vague "let me know if you need anything," a friend can log on and see that they need help covering the cost of the flowers. It transforms a stressful question into a simple and actionable act of love. More Than Just Money One of the most touching parts of my conversation with Ryan was hearing about the "time and effort" feature on the platform. Not everyone needs financial help, and not everyone can afford to give money. But support comes in many forms. GiveWillow allows families to register for acts of service too. You can add items like "lawn care," "running errands," "childcare," or even just "sitting with me" to your registry . This is profound because it validates those needs. It tells the grieving person that it is okay to need help with the laundry or to need someone to drive the carpool. And for friends who want to help but do not have extra cash, it gives them a way to show up that is just as valuable. Breaking the Silence Around Cost We rarely talk about the price tag of death. It feels taboo to put a dollar amount on a funeral as if it somehow cheapens the loss. But the reality is that funerals are expensive. Ryan mentioned that simply going through the process of building a registry can be an eye-opening educational tool. It allows you to see the "sticker price" of your wishes before you are in the emotional heat of the moment. You might realize that the big party with the margarita bar you envisioned costs $15,000 . Knowing that ahead of time allows you to plan. It allows you to ask for help specifically for that celebration rather than being blindsided by the bill later. This transparency empowers families by taking the mystery and the shame out of the financial conversation. A Tool for the Living While GiveWillow is a lifeline for those who have just lost someone, it is also a powerful tool for those of us who are still here. We often think pre-planning is only for the elderly or the sick. But as Janet’s story reminds us, death can be sudden. Creating a registry now, even if you are young and healthy, is a gift to your future self and your family. It acts as a roadmap. It tells your loved ones exactly what you want. Do you want cremation? A green burial? A big party? It removes the guesswork during a time when their brains will be foggy with grief. Ryan noted that they are even seeing people with terminal illnesses use the platform to ask for help with medical bills alongside their funeral wishes . It is becoming a holistic way to support someone through their end-of-life journey. Overcoming the "Ick" Factor I know what some of you might be thinking. "Is it tacky to ask for money for a funeral?" "Does this feel too much like crowdfunding?" Janet was clear that this is not just about raising funds. It is about re-gifting community support. It is about channeling the love that people already want to give into the places where it will actually make a difference. We have all seen the GoFundMe campaigns that circulate after a tragedy. They have their place. But a registry feels different because it feels personal and intentional. It allows a friend to say that they bought the flowers for Dad's service rather than just throwing money into a pot. It creates a connection between the giver and the receiver that is rooted in care rather than just cash. A Small Step You Can Take Today If you are reading this and feeling a little overwhelmed, that is okay. You do not have to plan your entire funeral today. But maybe you can take one small step toward opening the conversation. Check out GiveWillow just to see what a funeral registry looks like. Notice the categories. See what things cost. Talk to your partner or a close friend about one thing you might want or definitely do not want at your own service. Breaking the silence is the first step toward taking back control. Death is the one certainty we all share. By planning for it, and by allowing our community to support us through it, we are not being morbid. We are being human. We are letting love have the last word. 🎧 To hear Janet and Ryan’s full conversation with Niki Weiss, watch the episode on The Digital Legacy Podcast. You can also explore their platform at GiveWillow.com.
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