10 More Metal Artists That Should Be Turned Into AI Avatars When They Die
Did you hear? Beloved heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne is back. From the dead? No! Of course not! But that’s not stopping his family from bringing him back to “life” via an AI avatar. The digital ghost of the original voice of Black Sabbath will be around to answer your questions or something. Of course, it’s not really Ozzy or even some pre-recorded canned interview answers. It’s a series of 0’s and 1’s fed into a data center that’s quickly cooking the planet, spat out in a mishmash of assumptions and approximations in the likeness of the Ozzman.
Is there a real demand for this? Would Ozzy approve? It doesn’t matter because there’s a few bucks to be made along the way. This sort of thing has already been done for deceased celebrities like Stan Lee, Elvis, and The Notorious B.I.G. “You can ask them a question and they’ll answer!” claims the companies trotting out the memories of our favorite artists. It’s not a real answer because it’s not a real person. They know that. You know that. But here we are anyway.
Despite the growing hostility towards the bulldozer-like forcing of AI into everything, the corporate desire to cash in on well-established celebrities over creating new ones is powerful. It’s just a matter of time before more tech companies try to bring more metal icons and celebrities back to life. You just know those 100+ metal festivals that dot the United States in the Spring and Summer are chomping at the bit to charge $25 a gander at AI Lemmy or AI Dimebag Darrell.
I got to thinking. Some of our favorite, beloved musicians are getting on in years. Many have serious health problems. It’s just a matter of time before the inevitable happens. We need to be prepared when the time comes. What other metal musicians should have their likenesses and voices used for our entertainment beyond the grave? After careful consideration, here are 10 more metal musicians that should be turned into AI avatars when they die:
- No one
- No one
- No one
- No one
- No one
- No one
- No one
- No one
- No one
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FUCKING NO ONE
Grief is a difficult process. I’ve gone through it many times in my own life. You’d give anything just for a few more minutes. You’re flooded with thoughts and feelings and emotions. You float through life, going through the motions, your heart and mind heavy. But this feels…ghoulish. Even in death people can no longer rest. You have to keep singing! Keep dancing! We’ve got investors to think of!
Sharon Osbourne has said that doing this is a way to keep Ozzy alive. Ozzy’s music will live as long as we still have ears and are capable of thought. He’s been the most recognizable person in heavy metal since the beginning. His music is constantly played in public, whether it’s on the radio, at sporting events, and even supermarkets. You can just say “Ozzy” and people know exactly who you are talking about. An AI avatar does not extend his legacy or make him more accessible. It just make him into a side show attraction. Something for people to gawk at and laugh about because they made him say something stupid.
But, hey, it gets the family more money in perpetuity. The children of other celebrities regularly license on the image of their deceased parents all the time. I understand it in a way. You’re taking care of your family beyond the grave. It’s a gift that goes beyond your life and could help your family for generations. It just feels incredibly weird to lend your name, image, and voice to things you never agreed to do. Selling products you’d never condone.
With private equity and investment firms swallowing up IPs to use for their greedy means, what’s to stop someone with a lot of money from outright purchasing a musician entirely after their death? Here’s Lemmy Kilmeister for Monsanto! Ronnie James Dio sings “Rainbow In The Dark” for Ozempic! Chuck Schuldiner growling SCREAM BLOODY GORE during a Halliburton presentation on their latest military weapon.
AI usage, especially when it involves real people, is a slippery slope and we’re sliding face first into it. The best we can do as fans is express our displeasure and avoid partaking in any AI nonsense. When the dollars dry up, then these people and these companies will back off because that’s all they understand. Time to start including in our wills that we don’t want to be used for AI.
