Meta has patented AI that can manage the social media accounts of deceased individuals

This was reported by Business Insider.

The digital age has radically changed the concept of human legacy. After death, users leave behind not only physical objects, but also huge amounts of data – social media posts, likes, comments, voice messages, photos, search queries, and even location history.

At a time of rapid development in artificial intelligence, this data could form the basis for creating a so-called digital personality – a model that imitates human behaviour and can continue their presence online.

This is precisely the technology that Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram and Threads, recently patented.

The patent describes a large language model of artificial intelligence that is capable of simulating user behaviour on social networks. In particular, the system can imitate a person's online activity when they are temporarily absent or even deceased.

What exactly did Meta patent?

The patent text states that the language model can be used to simulate a user's actions when they are not active on social media – for example, if they are taking a long break or have died.

The algorithm analyses a large array of personal data: comment and reaction history, published content, communication style, interests, and nature of interaction with other people.

Based on this, a behavioural model is formed that can act on behalf of the user: like posts, write comments, and respond to private messages. The patent also mentions the possibility of imitating voice and video calls.

Meta applied for the technology back in 2023. The main author of the development is listed as the company's technical director, Andrew Bosworth.

After information about the patent appeared in the media in early 2026, Meta representatives stated that the company does not plan to implement this technology in the near future. At the same time, obtaining a patent means that the concept has already been officially developed and is legally protected.

Meta's business logic: memory as a resource

Analysts note that the new patent demonstrates Meta's business logic, whose main profit comes from advertising.

The company's business model depends on the number of active users and the time they spend on social networks. When a person dies or stops using the platform, their account ceases to generate interaction.

According to various estimates, more than 30 million Facebook profiles currently belong to deceased users. By 2050, their number could grow to 187 million, and by the end of the century, they could even exceed the number of accounts belonging to living people.

From this point of view, digital twin technology allows such profiles to remain active and retain the platform's audience.

Bloggers and opinion leaders could become a separate segment of potential users of this technology. For them, a digital twin can maintain account activity during breaks or automate content creation.

At the same time, the question remains open as to whether the audience will be informed that the content is created by an algorithm rather than a human being.

Risks for the advertising industry

Digital twin technology creates new risks for the influencer marketing market.

The current advertising model on social media is based on the audience's trust in a specific person. If brand recommendations are generated by an algorithm rather than the influencer themselves, this could undermine trust in such content.

Another problem is audience verification. Advertisers are interested in interacting with real users, but the proliferation of automated accounts could lead to a large amount of algorithmic activity.

There is also a risk of reputational damage if advertising messages appear on behalf of deceased or automated profiles.

Death Tech – the digital "resurrection" industry

Meta's development fits into a broader technological trend called Death Tech – the technology of digital "resurrection".

Back in 2020, Microsoft obtained a patent for a chatbot capable of imitating a specific person based on their social data, correspondence and photographs.

In addition, in recent years, images of famous people – including Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Kurt Cobain and Audrey Hepburn – have been used in concerts, advertisements and television shows in the form of digital reconstructions.

Researchers estimate that the market for the posthumous commercial exploitation of celebrities exceeds $2 billion.

Ethical issues of digital immortality

The emergence of such technologies raises a number of ethical questions.

First and foremost is user consent. Most people have never given permission for an algorithm to act on their behalf after their death.

Another risk is the possibility of manipulation. A digital twin can publish political or advertising messages on behalf of a person who may have had completely different views during their lifetime.

In this case, a person's identity effectively becomes a resource that can be exploited by third parties.

Questions raised by the new patent

The technology patented by Meta raises a fundamental question about a person's right to control their own digital identity.

Can a user prohibit the creation of their digital twin during their lifetime? And will corporations have the right to use a person's personal data after their death?

Analysts note that the development of such technologies requires new legal and ethical rules, because today digital platforms not only store memories of a person, but can actually construct a new digital version of them.