Theater of the Departed: A Conceptual Framework for Chatbots of the Dead

Chatbots of the dead are chatbots designed to converse in ways that resemble specific dead people. We argue that chatbots of the dead are continuous with representations found in art, like memoir and theater, and function as props that mandate and prompt imaginal interactions with the deceased. We proffer a framework for conceptualizing chatbots of the dead, inspired by an analogy to participatory theater, according to which chatbots are thought of as actors that have trained on character sketches in order to stage participatory performances of the deceased. We argue that this framework ameliorates common worries about this technology and spotlights creative design possibilities. We then take a first step to developing an artistic analysis of chatbots of the dead. We describe five artistic values–evocativeness, informativeness, reflection, catharsis, and enjoyment–that can be pursued through this medium, and we provide some provisional suggestions about how this might be done. Along the way, we apply insights from literary criticism, performance art, theater studies, and psychology.