Missing your loved ones and their memories can cause anxiety. Dealing with losing loved ones around the holidays, watching others interact with loved ones can cause irritability. Watch the video to get more insights!

Explained: Navigating grief during the holiday season

At a quiet cemetery in eastern China, bereaved father Seakoo Wu pulls out his phone, places it on a gravestone and plays a recording of his son.

They are words that the late student never spoke, but brought into being with artificial intelligence.

"I know you're in great pain every day because of me, and feel guilty and helpless," intones Xuanmo in a slightly robotic voice.

"Even though I can't be by your side ever again, my soul is still in this world, accompanying you through life."

Stricken by grief, Wu and his wife have joined a growing number of Chinese people turning to AI technology to create lifelike avatars of their departed.

WATCH |&nbsp;Chinese mourners use AI to make digital versions of the deceased

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/chinese-mourners-use-ai-to-make-digital-versions-of-the-deceased-669627/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Ultimately Wu wants to build a fully realistic replica that behaves just like his dead son but dwells in virtual reality.

"Once we synchronise reality and the metaverse, I'll have my son with me again," Wu said.

"I can train him... so that when he sees me, he knows I'm his father."

Some Chinese firms claim to have created thousands of "digital people" from as little as 30 seconds of audiovisual material of the deceased.

Experts say they can offer much-needed comfort for people devastated by the loss of loved ones.

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But they also evoke an unsettling theme from the British sci-fi series "Black Mirror" in which people rely on advanced AI for bereavement support.

<h2>- 'Needs are growing' -&nbsp;</h2>

Wu and his wife were devastated when Xuanmo, their only child, died of a sudden stroke last year at the age of 22 while attending Exeter University in Britain.

The accounting and finance student, keen sportsman and posthumous organ donor "had such a rich and varied life", said Wu.

"He always carried in him this desire to help people and a sense of right and wrong," he told AFP.

Following a boom in deep learning technologies like ChatGPT in China, Wu began researching ways to resurrect him.

He gathered photos, videos and audio recordings of his son, and spent thousands of dollars hiring AI firms that cloned Xuanmo's face and voice.

The results so far are rudimentary, but he has also set up a work team to create a database containing vast amounts of information on his son.

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Wu hopes to feed it into powerful algorithms to create an avatar capable of copying his son's thinking and speech patterns with extreme precision.

Several companies specialising in so-called "ghost bots" have emerged in the United States in recent years.

But the industry is booming in China, according to Zhang Zewei, the founder of the AI firm Super Brain and a former collaborator with Wu.

"On AI technology, China is in the highest class worldwide," said Zhang from a workspace in the eastern city of Jingjiang.

"And there are so many people in China, many with emotional needs, which gives us an advantage when it comes to market demand."

Super Brain charges between 10,000 and 20,000 yuan ($1,400-$2,800) to create a basic avatar within about 20 days, said Zhang.

They range from those who have died to living parents unable to spend time with their children and -- controversially -- a heartbroken woman's ex-boyfriend.

Clients can even hold video calls with a staff member whose face and voice are digitally overlaid with those of the person they have lost.

"The significance for... the whole world is huge," Zhang said.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-to-ban-use-of-ai-biometric-surveillance-by-police-without-judicial-authorisation-report-668888">EU to ban use of AI biometric surveillance by police without judicial authorisation: Report</a> 
 
"A digital version of someone (can) exist forever, even after their body has been lost."

<h2>- 'New humanism' -&nbsp;</h2>

Sima Huapeng, who founded Nanjing-based Silicon Intelligence, said the technology would "bring about a new kind of humanism".

He likened it to portraiture and photography, which helped people commemorate the dead in revolutionary ways.

Tal Morse, a visiting research fellow at the Centre for Death and Society at Britain's University of Bath, said ghost bots may offer comfort.

But he cautioned that more research was needed to understand their psychological and ethical implications.

"A key question here is... how 'loyal' are the ghost bots to the personality they were designed to mimic," Morse told AFP.

"What happens if they do things that will 'contaminate' the memory of the person they are supposed to represent?"

Another quandary arises from the inability of dead people to consent, experts said.

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While permission was probably unnecessary to mimic speech or behaviour, it might be needed to "do certain other things with that simulacrum", said Nate Sharadin, a philosopher at the University of Hong Kong specialising in AI and its social effects.

For Super Brain's Zhang, all new technology is "a double-edged sword".&nbsp;

"As long as we're helping those who need it, I see no problem".

He doesn't work with those for whom it could have negative impacts, he said, citing a woman who had attempted suicide after her daughter's death.

Bereaved father Wu said Xuanmo "probably would have been willing" to be digitally revived.

"One day, son, we will all reunite in the metaverse," he said as his wife dissolved into tears before his grave.

"The technology is getting better every day... it's just a matter of time."

At a quiet cemetery in eastern China, bereaved father Seakoo Wu pulls out his phone, places it on a gravestone and plays a recording of his son. They are words that the late student never spoke, but brought into being with artificial intelligence.

At a quiet cemetery in eastern China, bereaved father Seakoo Wu pulls out his phone, places it on a gravestone and plays a recording of his son. They are words that the late student never spoke, but brought into being with artificial intelligence. "I know you're in great pain every day because of me, and feel guilty and helpless," intones Xuanmo in a slightly robotic voice. "Even though I can't be by your side ever again, my soul is still in this world, accompanying you through life." Stricken by grief, Wu and his wife have joined a growing number of Chinese people turning to AI technology to create lifelike avatars of their departed. WATCH | Chinese mourners use AI to make digital versions of the deceased Ultimately Wu wants to build a fully realistic replica that behaves just like his dead son but dwells in virtual reality. "Once we synchronise reality and the metaverse, I'll have my son with me again," Wu said. "I can train him... so that when he sees me, he knows I'm his father." Some Chinese firms claim to have created thousands of "digital people" from as little as 30 seconds of audiovisual material of the deceased. Experts say they can offer much-needed comfort for people devastated by the loss of loved ones. ALSO READ | Artificial Intelligence dominates conversations in 2023, named 'Word of the Year' by Collins Dictionary But they also evoke an unsettling theme from the British sci-fi series "Black Mirror" in which people rely on advanced AI for bereavement support. - 'Needs are growing' - Wu and his wife were devastated when Xuanmo, their only child, died of a sudden stroke last year at the age of 22 while attending Exeter University in Britain. The accounting and finance student, keen sportsman and posthumous organ donor "had such a rich and varied life", said Wu. "He always carried in him this desire to help people and a sense of right and wrong," he told AFP. Following a boom in deep learning technologies like ChatGPT in China, Wu began researching ways to resurrect him. He gathered photos, videos and audio recordings of his son, and spent thousands of dollars hiring AI firms that cloned Xuanmo's face and voice. The results so far are rudimentary, but he has also set up a work team to create a database containing vast amounts of information on his son. ALSO READ | World’s first AI-powered campaign caller ‘Ashley’ deployed ahead of 2024 elections in US Wu hopes to feed it into powerful algorithms to create an avatar capable of copying his son's thinking and speech patterns with extreme precision. Several companies specialising in so-called "ghost bots" have emerged in the United States in recent years. But the industry is booming in China, according to Zhang Zewei, the founder of the AI firm Super Brain and a former collaborator with Wu. "On AI technology, China is in the highest class worldwide," said Zhang from a workspace in the eastern city of Jingjiang. "And there are so many people in China, many with emotional needs, which gives us an advantage when it comes to market demand." Super Brain charges between 10,000 and 20,000 yuan ($1,400-$2,800) to create a basic avatar within about 20 days, said Zhang. They range from those who have died to living parents unable to spend time with their children and -- controversially -- a heartbroken woman's ex-boyfriend. Clients can even hold video calls with a staff member whose face and voice are digitally overlaid with those of the person they have lost. "The significance for... the whole world is huge," Zhang said. ALSO READ | EU to ban use of AI biometric surveillance by police without judicial authorisation: Report "A digital version of someone (can) exist forever, even after their body has been lost." - 'New humanism' - Sima Huapeng, who founded Nanjing-based Silicon Intelligence, said the technology would "bring about a new kind of humanism". He likened it to portraiture and photography, which helped people commemorate the dead in revolutionary ways. Tal Morse, a visiting research fellow at the Centre for Death and Society at Britain's University of Bath, said ghost bots may offer comfort. But he cautioned that more research was needed to understand their psychological and ethical implications. "A key question here is... how 'loyal' are the ghost bots to the personality they were designed to mimic," Morse told AFP. "What happens if they do things that will 'contaminate' the memory of the person they are supposed to represent?" Another quandary arises from the inability of dead people to consent, experts said. ALSO READ | Chinese scientists let AI control satellite, it takes ‘closer look’ at specific spots in India, Japan While permission was probably unnecessary to mimic speech or behaviour, it might be needed to "do certain other things with that simulacrum", said Nate Sharadin, a philosopher at the University of Hong Kong specialising in AI and its social effects. For Super Brain's Zhang, all new technology is "a double-edged sword". "As long as we're helping those who need it, I see no problem". He doesn't work with those for whom it could have negative impacts, he said, citing a woman who had attempted suicide after her daughter's death. Bereaved father Wu said Xuanmo "probably would have been willing" to be digitally revived. "One day, son, we will all reunite in the metaverse," he said as his wife dissolved into tears before his grave. "The technology is getting better every day... it's just a matter of time."

Chinese mourners use AI to digitally resurrect the dead

In humans, sleep patterns, appetites, and everything in between can be affected by the death of a loved one. Research has now found that dogs who lose their canine companion exhibit similar behavioural changes.

According to the study's authors, it is not clear whether the findings represent grief, but that the findings could indicate a welfare concern that went unnoticed.

In addition to humans, great apes, dolphins, elephants and birds have also been observed to mourn and participate in rituals around death.

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According to Federica Pirrone from the University of Milan, one of the study's authors, dogs form very strong bonds with members of their familiar groups. Therefore, if one of them dies, they might be very distressed, and it would be helpful to assist them in coping.

In a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-05669-y">study published in Scientific Reports</a>, Pirrone and colleagues examined the responses of 426 Italian adults who were asked to complete an online "mourning dog questionnaire" to find out how dogs experience grief.

The questionnaire asked each of the participants to reflect on the behaviour and emotions of the surviving dog and the owner after one of their dogs died.

Eighty-six per cent of respondents said that after the death of another dog in the household, their surviving dogs demonstrated behavioural changes.

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According to Pirrone, dogs played and ate less, slept more, and sought out their owners' attention more. She said the results were not affected by the level of attachment between the owners and their pets, indicating that the humans were not merely projecting their own grief.

Researchers found that the changes were not linked to how long the dogs had lived together or whether the remaining dogs had seen the corpse.

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<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/dubai-museum-of-future-most-beautiful-building-on-earth-now-open-for-visitors-455627/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

One possible explanation for the findings, according to the researchers, is that surviving dogs may have had to adjust to a disruption of shared behaviours.

Samantha Hurn, a professor of social anthropology at the University of Exeter, said it is critical to understand what dogs experience upon the death of a canine companion. However, there were limitations to the study. Many dog owners are not skilled at reading their dog's behaviour, so using scales as a measure of something so subjective may lead to faulty conclusions.

In humans, sleep patterns, appetites, and everything in between can be affected by the death of a loved one. Research has now found that dogs who lose their canine companion exhibit similar behavioural changes.

In humans, sleep patterns, appetites, and everything in between can be affected by the death of a loved one. Research has now found that dogs who lose their canine companion exhibit similar behavioural changes. According to the study's authors, it is not clear whether the findings represent grief, but that the findings could indicate a welfare concern that went unnoticed. In addition to humans, great apes, dolphins, elephants and birds have also been observed to mourn and participate in rituals around death. Also read | Vegetarians found to have lower cancer risk than meat-eaters According to Federica Pirrone from the University of Milan, one of the study's authors, dogs form very strong bonds with members of their familiar groups. Therefore, if one of them dies, they might be very distressed, and it would be helpful to assist them in coping. In a study published in Scientific Reports, Pirrone and colleagues examined the responses of 426 Italian adults who were asked to complete an online "mourning dog questionnaire" to find out how dogs experience grief. The questionnaire asked each of the participants to reflect on the behaviour and emotions of the surviving dog and the owner after one of their dogs died. Eighty-six per cent of respondents said that after the death of another dog in the household, their surviving dogs demonstrated behavioural changes. Also read | In a new Israeli study, hyperbaric oxygen therapy relieves PTSD symptoms According to Pirrone, dogs played and ate less, slept more, and sought out their owners' attention more. She said the results were not affected by the level of attachment between the owners and their pets, indicating that the humans were not merely projecting their own grief. Researchers found that the changes were not linked to how long the dogs had lived together or whether the remaining dogs had seen the corpse. Watch | Dubai: Museum of future, 'most beautiful building on earth' now open for visitors One possible explanation for the findings, according to the researchers, is that surviving dogs may have had to adjust to a disruption of shared behaviours. Samantha Hurn, a professor of social anthropology at the University of Exeter, said it is critical to understand what dogs experience upon the death of a canine companion. However, there were limitations to the study. Many dog owners are not skilled at reading their dog's behaviour, so using scales as a measure of something so subjective may lead to faulty conclusions.

Study says that dogs also mourn the loss of a companion

Sobbing family members Saturday lit the funeral pyres of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/we-are-with-them-always-crpf-official-says-to-kashmiris-197846">the CRPF jawans killed in the Pulwama terror attack</a>, joined by other mourners who at places gathered in their thousands.

In an Uttarakhand village, a three-year-old child lit his father's pyre. At another cremation in Rajasthan, a two-month baby was made to symbolically touch the torch used for the last rites.

Traders downed shutters and people lined the streets at many places as caskets carrying the remains of the jawans arrived at their native villages and towns across the country, amid the chanting of slogans, some of them anti-Pakistan.

Union ministers flew down from New Delhi to join ministers from the states to lay wreaths on the caskets of many of the 40 jawans killed in the suicide attack on the Jammu-Srinagar highway on Thursday.

In most cases, the coffins draped in the tricolor arrived from Delhi at the nearest airport, and were then taken by road to the jawans' villages for state funerals.

In a village in Uttarakhand's Udham Singh Nagar district, three-year-old Rehan lit his father Virendra Singh's funeral pyre.

Union Minister of state for Textiles Ajay Tamta and Uttarakhand minister Yashpal Arya were at the cremation, where CRPF jawans fired three rounds in the air as a salute to their fallen colleague.

Shopkeepers in nearby Khatima, Chakarpur and Jhankat downed shutters. People taking part in a procession in Khatima shouted anti-Pakistan slogans.

In Ghalauti Khurd in Punjab's Moga district, Jaimal Singh's five- year-old-son Gurprakash lit the pyre. Rohitash Lamba's two-month son was made to symbolically touch the torch that lit his pyre in Shahpura town near Jaipur.

Thousands of people, including Union minister Jitendra Singh, attended the burial of head constable Naseer Ahmad at Dudasunballa village in the border district of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir.

Officers from the Central Reserve Police Force and the Army also visited the village to pay homage, promising to take care of the jawan's family which includes his wife and two children, officials said.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman laid a wreath on the coffin of C Sivachandran at Tiruchirappali airport, where his body had been flown on the way to his village.

As Pankaj Tripathi's body reached Harpur Bailhiya in Uttar Pradesh's Maharajganj district, the villagers broke out in slogans hailing him as a martyr, and also chanting "Pakistan murdabad".

Taking the cue from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks, Union Minister Shiv Pratap Shukla, who attended the funeral, said, "India will give a befitting reply to the cowardly act of Pakistan."

He announced that the local primary school will be renamed after the jawan.

"My son was coming soon to meet me, but it seems that something else was written in my fate,"&nbsp;his mother told reporters.

Uttarakhand's Trivendra Singh Rawat, Himachal Pradesh's Jai Ram Thakur and Odisha's Naveen Pathak were among the chief ministers who paid homage as the remains of soldiers from their states arrived.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal turned pallbearer when head constable Maneswar Basumatari's body arrived in Guwahati, flown in by the Indian Air Force.

"The nation will fight unitedly to protect the sovereignty of our country. Basumatari's sacrifice, along with that of the other CRPF jawans, will not go in vain,"&nbsp;he told reporters.

In Deoria district, Vijay Maurya's wife Vijay Laxmi demanded that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath should visit the family before the cremation takes place.

UP minister Anupama Jaiswal and other leaders were trying to persuade her to go ahead with the last rites.

Sobbing family members Saturday lit the funeral pyres of the CRPF jawans killed in the Pulwama terror attack, joined by other mourners who at places gathered in their thousands.

Sobbing family members Saturday lit the funeral pyres of the CRPF jawans killed in the Pulwama terror attack, joined by other mourners who at places gathered in their thousands. In an Uttarakhand village, a three-year-old child lit his father's pyre. At another cremation in Rajasthan, a two-month baby was made to symbolically touch the torch used for the last rites. Traders downed shutters and people lined the streets at many places as caskets carrying the remains of the jawans arrived at their native villages and towns across the country, amid the chanting of slogans, some of them anti-Pakistan. Union ministers flew down from New Delhi to join ministers from the states to lay wreaths on the caskets of many of the 40 jawans killed in the suicide attack on the Jammu-Srinagar highway on Thursday. In most cases, the coffins draped in the tricolor arrived from Delhi at the nearest airport, and were then taken by road to the jawans' villages for state funerals. In a village in Uttarakhand's Udham Singh Nagar district, three-year-old Rehan lit his father Virendra Singh's funeral pyre. Union Minister of state for Textiles Ajay Tamta and Uttarakhand minister Yashpal Arya were at the cremation, where CRPF jawans fired three rounds in the air as a salute to their fallen colleague. Shopkeepers in nearby Khatima, Chakarpur and Jhankat downed shutters. People taking part in a procession in Khatima shouted anti-Pakistan slogans. In Ghalauti Khurd in Punjab's Moga district, Jaimal Singh's five- year-old-son Gurprakash lit the pyre. Rohitash Lamba's two-month son was made to symbolically touch the torch that lit his pyre in Shahpura town near Jaipur. Thousands of people, including Union minister Jitendra Singh, attended the burial of head constable Naseer Ahmad at Dudasunballa village in the border district of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir. Officers from the Central Reserve Police Force and the Army also visited the village to pay homage, promising to take care of the jawan's family which includes his wife and two children, officials said. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman laid a wreath on the coffin of C Sivachandran at Tiruchirappali airport, where his body had been flown on the way to his village. As Pankaj Tripathi's body reached Harpur Bailhiya in Uttar Pradesh's Maharajganj district, the villagers broke out in slogans hailing him as a martyr, and also chanting "Pakistan murdabad". Taking the cue from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks, Union Minister Shiv Pratap Shukla, who attended the funeral, said, "India will give a befitting reply to the cowardly act of Pakistan." He announced that the local primary school will be renamed after the jawan. "My son was coming soon to meet me, but it seems that something else was written in my fate," his mother told reporters. Uttarakhand's Trivendra Singh Rawat, Himachal Pradesh's Jai Ram Thakur and Odisha's Naveen Pathak were among the chief ministers who paid homage as the remains of soldiers from their states arrived. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal turned pallbearer when head constable Maneswar Basumatari's body arrived in Guwahati, flown in by the Indian Air Force. "The nation will fight unitedly to protect the sovereignty of our country. Basumatari's sacrifice, along with that of the other CRPF jawans, will not go in vain," he told reporters. In Deoria district, Vijay Maurya's wife Vijay Laxmi demanded that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath should visit the family before the cremation takes place. UP minister Anupama Jaiswal and other leaders were trying to persuade her to go ahead with the last rites.

Pulwama attack: Outpouring of grief, anger as India says final goodbye to slain CRPF jawans

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