A new generation of artificial intelligence (AI) is all the rage now. AI programs have been used for years, but the latest technological breakthrough is “generative” AI programs. These new AI programs, also known as chatbots, can respond to virtually any query. They can answer questions, hold a conversation, compose essays, and even create computer code.

Predictably, major tech companies Alphabet and Microsoft are developing ways to incorporate AI into their search engines (Google and Bing, respectively). Microsoft has invested billions in the artificial intelligence company OpenAI and has already integrated OpenAI’s ChatGPT into a new version of Bing. OpenAI has already released an even better version called GPT-4. Google, Meta (Facebook) and others are countering with their own AI-enabled search tools.

As you can imagine, the possibilities are endless, and like many new technologies, it comes with many concerns. Will AI chatbots replace human beings? Will chatbots be used to spread misinformation? AI development is still in its early stages. So, how widely it will be used and what the long-term impact will remain to be seen.

Artificial Intelligence and Funerals

Here at Funeralwise, we wonder what effect chatbots will have on funerals. Can chatbots be used to write eulogies and obituaries? How will artificial intelligence assist people with funeral planning? Will they recommend the best funeral homes or the best funeral insurance policy to buy? Will they be an alternative to the hundreds of pages of information on Funeralwise.com? What do you think? Post your thoughts on AI and funerals below.

An AI Chatbot Gives Us 10 Reasons to Plan Your Funeral

We were curious what a chatbot would have to say about funeral planning so we asked GPT-4 this question: “What are the reasons I should plan my funeral before I die?”

The exact response from GPT-4 (we added the text bolding):

“Creating a funeral plan before you die can provide several benefits for both you and your loved ones. Here are some reasons why you should consider creating a funeral plan:

1. Peace of mind: Preparing a funeral plan allows you to make your wishes known, ensuring that your funeral is conducted according to your preferences. This can give you peace of mind knowing that your final wishes will be respected and carried out.
2. Financial planning: By planning your funeral in advance, you can choose the services you want and determine the associated costs. This can help you make informed decisions and potentially save money by locking in prices or selecting more affordable options.
3. Easing the burden on loved ones: Losing a loved one is an emotionally challenging time. By having a funeral plan in place, you can relieve your family and friends of the burden of making difficult decisions and planning a funeral during their time of grief.
4. Personalizing your funeral: Creating a funeral plan allows you to personalize your funeral, reflecting your beliefs, values, and interests. This can help create a meaningful and memorable service for those in attendance.
5. Avoiding family disputes: Pre-planning your funeral can help avoid potential disagreements among family members regarding your funeral arrangements, ensuring that your wishes are respected and followed.
6. Ensuring financial support: Some funeral plans include options for payment or insurance policies, which can help ensure that your family has the financial means to cover the costs associated with your funeral.
7. Legal considerations: Preparing a funeral plan can also help you address legal matters related to your estate, such as appointing an executor, drafting a will, and organizing important documents.
8. Organ donation or body donation: If you wish to be an organ donor or donate your body to science, having a funeral plan in place can help communicate your intentions and ensure that your wishes are followed.
9. Environmentally friendly options: If you are concerned about the environmental impact of traditional funerals, pre-planning allows you to explore and choose greener alternatives, such as green burial options or eco-friendly cremation options.
10. Time for reflection: Planning your funeral in advance gives you the opportunity to reflect on your life and consider what kind of legacy you want to leave behind. This process can be an important part of accepting and coming to terms with your mortality.”

What Our Funeral Planning Robots Have To Say

That’s a pretty good response from GPT-4. We’ll be keeping our eye on the effect of AI on funerals and keep you informed. In the meantime, we have our own form of AI, our funeral planning robots, Zelmo and Gizmo, to offer advice on funeral planning. Check it out!

Funeral Planning the Funeralwise Way

No need to wait for AI; you can do your funeral planning today with our Wise Planning System. Get started with our Free Quick Plan.

>>Read our article “Do Robots Deserve Funerals.”

The post Artificially Intelligent (AI) Funeral Planning appeared first on Funeralwise.

There’s an old saying about taking things for granted that goes something like, “you don’t miss something until it’s gone.” If nothing else, COVID-19 has put an exclamation point on that. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve discovered a lot of things we’ve taken for granted. You can probably reel off several: sit down meals at restaurants, going to a movie or sporting event, and simply hanging out with a group of friends. There’s another one, though, that you might not have thought of—funerals. 

>>Information on FEMA’s COVID-19 Funeral Expense Reimbursement Program

Pre-Coronavirus, most of us didn’t give much thought to funerals unless a family member died. When someone passed, we’d get the details about the service and we’d show up to say goodbye and offer our condolences. We would provide support, and grieve with others who were touched by the life of the person being honored.

These days, if we’re lucky, we can have a group of 10 people gather to commemorate the person who died. Forget having a large traditional funeral. That means no family members sweeping in from out of town, no pot luck gatherings where we tell stories and commune with others who, like us, are grieving and, worst of all, no hugs.

Funerals and Grief

Funerals are an essential part of our journey through grief. According to noted grief expert Dr. Alan D. Wolfelt, “Healthy grief means expressing our painful thoughts and feelings, and healthy funeral ceremonies allow us to do just that. People tend to cry, even sob and wail, at funerals because funerals force us to concentrate on the fact of the death and our feelings, often excruciatingly painful, about that death. . . .To their credit, funerals also provide us with an accepted venue for our painful feelings. They are perhaps the only time and place, in fact, during which we as a society condone such openly outward expression of our sadness.” (Griefwords)

This can be especially hard on families whose religious customs include caring for the body of the deceased. Funeral directors do the best they can to accommodate the family’s needs, but there’s not much they can do. For now, we have to work around the difficulties the pandemic has brought for those experiencing the loss of a loved one.

You Can Still Say Goodbye

Even though regulations due to the pandemic make it difficult to conduct the funeral and burial traditions in which we find so much comfort, we are adapting. As we discussed in our recent article, “Goodbye for Now. We’ll Celebrate Later,” it is still possible to memorialize a loved one now and save the big send-off for later.

For some, technology saves the day. With Zoom, Facebook, and other group messaging tools, you can have a virtual funeral. With the help of a funeral home, a traditional service can be streamed so that loved ones can tune in from anywhere. While an in-person repast isn’t possible, you can raise your glass and toast a life well lived while everyone logs in to a video call from home. It may not be a perfect solution, but it does give you a way to say goodbye without being totally alone.

Use of Cremation Continues to Grow

Industry watchers began to notice an increase in the use of cremation in the early 2000s. There are a lot of reasons for that growth. Among these are the increased mobility of society and cost advantages over burial. With or without the pandemic, the trend in the use of cremation would likely have continued at a steady pace. COVID has accelerated that increase.

In a recent press release, the National Funeral Directors Association reported that “In 2020, the projected burial rate is 37.5% (down 7.7% from 2015) and projected cremation rate is 56.0% (up 8.1% from 2015). This preference is predicted to only strengthen, with projections for 2025 indicating that the burial rate will be 30.6% (down 14.6% from 2015) and the cremation rate 63.3% (up 15.4% from 2015).”

It’s easy to understand why cremation is an attractive choice right now. Travel is out of the question for most people and for those who want to hold a celebration of life after the pandemic, the ashes can be kept on hand. And then there’s cost. A bare-bones cremation can be a fraction of the cost of burial.

What’s Next?

The culture and attitudes surrounding the way we memorialize the dead are long-standing and have developed over generations. The stark way we have had to change our practices due to the pandemic will no doubt make an indelible mark. In the long run, we’ll all welcome back the in-person funeral since it offers us such a critical link in the process of navigating grief, but many of the adjustments we think of as temporary will likely become part of the way we pay tribute to those who are no longer with us.

In the short term, we will continue to do what we can to offer our loved ones the send-off they deserve under difficult circumstances and to find ways to say goodbye. We’ll lean on technology, opt for cremation, and delay our big celebrations. In short, we’ll just keep doing the best we can.

Stay safe.

>>Read: Funerals in the Time of COVID Part One: GOODBYE FOR NOW. WE’LL CELEBRATE LATER.

The post WHERE ARE FUNERALS WHEN YOU NEED THEM? appeared first on Funeralwise.

While holding a funeral may not seem right for you, many experts on grief believe that holding some type of ceremony or ritual can help us cope with the loss of a treasured animal friend. The ceremony can be as simple as saying a few words or as elaborate as a traditional human funeral. What’s best for you will depend entirely on personal preference—there is no right or wrong choice, only what’s right for you and your family. 

Visit our Coping with the Loss of a Pet page for information on dealing with the grief associated with pet loss.

Don’t like slideshows? Here’s the full list.

1. A pet funeral or memorial service is a great way to say goodbye.

   Holding a funeral or memorial service for your pet gives you the opportunity to say goodbye and to share your grief with those who care about you.

2. You can invite your pet’s friends.

   Friends and family members who had a relationship with your pet may appreciate having the chance to participate in your special goodbye. You can invite people who knew your pet to join in the ceremony by sharing a special memory.

3. Size doesn’t matter.

   A pet funeral or memorial service can be large or small, it’s not mandatory that it be a grand affair. If it will help you heal from your loss, it’s perfectly acceptable to have a ceremony just for you. 

4. Children can participate.

   There are many roles that children can play in planning a ceremony for a beloved pet. Depending on the age and maturity of the child, being invited to participate in planning and conducting the service can help them heal after the loss.

5. Do it yourself or hire someone to do the service.

   When it comes to pet funerals and memorial services anything goes.  You can definitely design your own ceremony. Our website has lots of ideas to get you started. If you prefer, you can hire a funeral celebrant who specializes in helping conduct services to honor pets. Visit our directory of funeral celebrants.

6. You can have the service anywhere.

    There is no right or wrong place to hold your ceremony. Many people choose to have the service at home or at one of the animal’s favorite spots, but there are also funeral homes that specialize in memorializing pets.

7. You might be able to take their ashes with you.

   There are currently 4 states where you can have your pet’s ashes can be buried with human cremation remains. Other states are considering legislation to allow the practice.

8. Check before burying.

   In many places, there are laws that prohibit burying your pet’s ashes in the backyard. Even if there are no laws prohibiting home burial, there may be specifications regarding grave depth. It’s always a good idea to check the local regulations before you start digging. 

9. Consider a pet cemetery.

   There are more than 700 pet cemeteries in the U.S. and most offer facilities for pet funerals and memorial services.

10. There are amazing options for memorializing your pet.

    From handcrafted urns to lovely high-quality jewelry, there are many ways to honor the memory of your pet. The Funeralwise store has a great selection of memorial products for every taste and style. Visit our store.

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