What the patent proposes
In December Meta was granted a patent describing a large language model that could simulate a user’s online presence when that person is absent or has died. The system would analyze past posts, comments, likes and other platform signals to produce new content in the same voice. The filing even mentions generating phone or video calls that seem to come from the missing or deceased account holder.
How the technology would work
According to the patent, a model would be trained on user-specific data to learn writing style, tone and stated beliefs. That lets the system post, reply and react in ways the algorithm predicts the original person would have. The design relies on archived platform activity and other metadata rather than live human input.
Why Meta says it matters
Meta argues that a sudden stop in posting can change the experience for friends and followers, and that the effect is permanent if the person has died. The patent was filed by Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth. The company says the patent does not mean the feature will be rolled out, a claim that often accompanies patents meant to protect future options or to create negotiating leverage.
A real case shows the stakes
There are real examples of families using AI to recreate a lost voice. In 2025 the family of Christopher Pelkey used an AI-generated video and voice as an impact statement after he was killed. That episode shows how technology can aid grieving but also raises questions about consent, authenticity and courtroom use of synthetic likenesses.
Questions regulators and families will face
Patents do not equal products, but they shape the future. Regulators, courts and families must decide who can approve a digital clone, how consent is recorded, and how platforms police misuse. The technology touches privacy, estates law, grief and public safety, and it will test the limits of corporate policy versus public interest.
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