KERA's Think A.I. is writing obits now
Aug 19, 2025
Drew Harwell, a technology reporter for The Washington Post, dives into the intersection of AI and obituary writing. He discusses how AI tools are transforming this intimate practice, adopted eagerly by funeral homes. The conversation reveals the challenges of finding the right emotional words through automated means. Ethical concerns also come to light, questioning if a machine can genuinely honor a human life. As personal narratives evolve, Harwell emphasizes the enduring need for human touch in memorializing our loved ones.
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Son Uses ChatGPT When Grief Is Fresh
- Jeff Fargo used ChatGPT days after his mother's death to draft an obituary because he felt emotionally raw and overwhelmed.
- He published the AI-generated piece in her local paper and called the result a helpful, passable gift.
Funeral Homes Are Automating Obituaries
- Funeral directors historically interviewed families and used templates, but now many adopt AI to auto-generate obituaries.
- Large funeral-software suites began embedding AI to save time and scale the process.
Use AI As A Time-Saving Draft
- Use AI obituary tools to save staff hours so funeral directors can focus on human interactions and sensitive tasks.
- Treat the AI output as a time-saving first draft, not a final, unquestioned product.