The Art of Memorialising

About The Art of Memorialising

How will your story live on in the digital age? From #Deathtech to digital immortality and life-story writing, we're crafting our legacies together. Let's write your future together—one memory, one story at a time. theartofmemorialising.substack.com (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com/s/the-art-of-memorialising-audio-newsletter?utm_medium=podcast)

Publisher

Echoes of Tomorrow: Your Memories, Your Life Story, Your Legacy, Your Way

Category

business · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

1 Dec 2021

Latest episode

12 Nov 2024

Latest episodes

18 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   12 Nov 2024

   The Digital Legacy of Sound: How Creating a Personal Playlist Can Keep Stories Alive for Generations

   Welcome to The Art of Memorialising (TOaM), Digital Legacy Edition #20. Whether you’re interesting in exploring the cutting edge of digital afterlife and digital immortality, or curious about the art of preserving your life stories, TAoM is here helping you leave a meaningful legacy online and off. In This Issue: * How using music can help us connect with our memories, and create a unique digital legacy for life storytelling. * Exploring how #GriefTech and #GriefBots are reshaping our farewells to loved ones. * Can AI truly help end mourning, or does it risk extending grief indefinitely? * What will happen to our parents' social media posts after they pass? * Legal rights for digital twins: are new regulations enough to protect our #Digitallegacy? Featured Product - Playlist for Life (https://www.playlistforlife.org.uk/) - ‘Moments of happiness and flashes of joy.’ * What piece of music can instantly take you back to a particular moment, person, or place in your life? * What song’s opening notes are enough for you to recall a memory from your childhood perhaps years ago? (For me, it’s Rosemary Clooney singing, ‘Me and My Teddy Bear.’ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHxaFLCP8Bc)) Here’s an amazing truth. For those living with dementia, music can reach parts of their world, when spoken words from loved ones cannot. This is the incredible work undertaken by the charity, Playlist for Life (https://www.playlistforlife.org.uk/) who I want to highlight this month. (I’m grateful for one of the readers of TAoM who introduced me to the charity.) Music has unique power. Playlist for Life harness it as a tool to help people, especially those living with dementia, reconnect with their memories. (https://www.playlistforlife.org.uk/science/) You may know a person or caregiver, who could find their resources of tremendous benefit by creating a personal playlist for someone. Even for those of us not facing life slowly taking our memories away a day at a time, we can use music to recover a memory from our past. It’s another creative way of digitally documenting our life for the next generation. Playlist for Life encourages people to create personalised playlists (https://www.playlistforlife.org.uk/get-started/) that serve as bridges to their life stories. Imagine curating a soundtrack that reflects the chapters of your life—from the songs of your childhood, to the anthems of your adolescence, and beyond. This personal playlist could serve as a unique #DigitialLegacy keepsake, helping you capture your life story in an accessible, emotional way, to share with your descendants. Not sure which songs were the songs of your youth? Published by Playlist for Life (https://www.playlistforlife.org.uk/), and based on the work of volunteer Music Detective Peter Grech, The 100 Year Book lists the top 100 tunes in the UK from 1915 to 2015. (https://www.playlistforlife.org.uk/the-100-years-book/) To explore their resources and see how music can bring stories to life, visit Playlist for Life. (https://www.playlistforlife.org.uk/) On Spotify you can find several Playlists for Life (https://open.spotify.com/user/playlistdementia?si=de24593670914ec2) - Here’s a link to Sir Alex Ferguson’s playlist. Looking through the playlists there, you might find the perfect combination of either sports, movies, even faith based lists. If you would be interested in supporting the work of the charity, you can find details of how to donate to Playlist for Life HERE (https://www.playlistforlife.org.uk/donating/). Create Your Own Soundtrack To Your Life with Suno Scenes (https://suno.com/blog/introducing-suno-scenes) - AI Music Composition Want to have you own soundtrack to life song created by AI for your memories? Now you can with Suno Scenes. Suno Scenes allows creators around the world to inspire new types of songs through captured memories and visual content. Upload photos or video, choose the genre of the song, and let AI create it for you. When I first looked at this, I was transfixed by the quality, variation and creativity of A.I to make music. Worth a look and creative experiment. But make sure you have plenty of time to play. It’s incredible the ways you could use this to create life story memories. Sponsor Spotlight Opportunity! Are you pioneering the future of digital legacies or revolutionising how we preserve memories? Do have a non-profit or charity like playlistforlife.org.uk/ (https://www.playlistforlife.org.uk/)? We're seeking innovative companies in the fields of AI, digital immortality, or life story preservation to feature in our next issues. This is your chance to showcase your product or service to an engaged audience passionate about leaving meaningful digital legacies. Interested in becoming our next featured sponsor? Contact me: 5 Memorialisation Morsels Quick bites of #Deathtech #DigitalImmortality #LifeStory news: * How Is The Rise of #GriefTech and #GriefBots Changing Bereavement? BBC World Service Business Daily. (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct5zck) The podcast looks at a growing trend of using artificial intelligence to ‘connect’ people to loved ones who have died. According to TechRound, this business sector is on track to generate £100bn globally. What are the ethical issues when we may never have to say goodbye to those we have loved and lost? (via BBC World Service (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct5zck)) * Who Will Win The Race to Optimise Grief and End Mourning As We Know It? (https://www.vox.com/culture/23965584/grief-tech-ghostbots-ai-startups-replika-ethics) In 2023, Sunshine Henle used a ChatGPT-powered “ghostbot” of her late mother to navigate her grief, finding solace in its comforting messages. Henle initially found the AI chatbot more helpful than traditional therapy. Platforms like Replika (https://replika.com/) and HereAfter AI (https://www.hereafter.ai/) offer us the creation of digital twins and avatars, which could provide future virtual interactions with a deceased loved one. For many people, it’s the ethical concerns around #GriefTech that persist. Questions about consent, dependency, and data privacy after death. What questions does this raise for you? (via vox.com (https://www.vox.com/culture/23965584/grief-tech-ghostbots-ai-startups-replika-ethics)) * Kwillt - A Creative Platform For Digital Life Story Preservation Launches. (Kwillt - A Creative Platform For Digital Life Story Preservation Launches.) Kwillt is a new all-in-one platform for digital storytelling and memory preservation. It offers users a digital way to chronicle their lives or honour loved ones. You can use photos, videos, audio, and written stories to create a lasting legacy online. With Kwillt’s two account types—Legacy Patch and Remembrance Patch, you can document your own life milestones or celebrate the memories of those who have passed. Kwillt wants to help in memory keeping and bring families closer during emotional transitions. (via PRN Newswire (https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kwillt-launches-creative-platform-to-chronicle-legacies-of-the-living-and-remember-loved-ones-passed-302223107.html)) * How Could Deceased Social Media Accounts Shape Your Families Future? (https://www.chosun.com/english/long-reads-en/2024/07/29/TDZMCVZQWNGGZFEXD4GN5OTX64/) Do your parents use Facebook? According to Herd Digital (https://herd.digital/blog/facebook-statistics-2022/#:~:text=Statistics%20by%20Age&text=18.1%25%20of%20people%20between%20the,of%2045%2D54%20use%20Facebook.), 21.6% of people over 55 have a Facebook account. By 2060 estimated that it will hold 1.2 billion deceased users. Connecting with children, grandchildren, and friends, the platform has been a lifeline for many aging people. In keeping with the featured theme of this issue (playlistforlife.org.uk (playlistforlife.org.uk)), what will happen to those accounts as our parents age? Maybe face the challenges of dementia, and eventually pass away? Without a plan, someone could leave these accounts inactive may even even get hacked. Privacy of our life after death is a growing concern for many. Adding a legacy contact is a critical choice to help secure our parents’ wishes. Have your parents added a legacy contact to their Facebook account? Can you help them do it? (via chosun.com (https://www.chosun.com/english/long-reads-en/2024/07/29/TDZMCVZQWNGGZFEXD4GN5OTX64/)) See also: Digital Ghosts: Facebook’s Birthday Alerts for Deceased Friends (Digital Ghosts: Facebook’s Birthday Alerts for Deceased Friends). * In The Rise of Digital Twins: What Will Be Our Legal Rights Under New EU Regulations? (https://www.williamfry.com/knowledge/legal-rights-of-the-undead-the-spooky-implications-of-legacy-ai/) How might legislation answer the developing legal questions about privacy, ownership, and the ethics of legacy AI? Partners at William Fry, Barry Scannell and Leo Moore, consider the rise of unique contemporary legal questions about the ethics of digital immortality AI. In this article, ‘Legal Rights of the Undead AI…’ a Halloween timed post, they consider EU laws, like GDPR, now only offer limited protections for the deceased, leaving digital twins in a grey area. Maybe developing new EU regulations—the AI Act (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/en/article/20230601STO93804/eu-ai-act-first-regulation-on-artificial-intelligence) and Digital Services Act (https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/europe-fit-digital-age/digital-services-act_en)—may soon classify legacy AI as high-risk, aiming to prevent misuse and protect users. A concluding question to ponder: Do we have a right to control our legacy in the afterlife, even in a digital sense? (via William Fry) * UPDATE - Eternal You a film by Hans Block & Moritz Riesewieck we profiled last month (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com/p/immortalise-your-lifes-story-in-a-digital-memory-box) - is now streaming for free in the UK on BBCiplayer. (https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0024hnl/storyville-eternal-you) The Digital Edition Life Story Writing Prompts. Here are four life story prompts this month that draw out the deep, often surprising, connections we have with music. Grab a coffee and a journal or blank document and remember. What is the Soundtrack of Your Life Story? * Was there ever a song that made you see things differently or feel deeply understood? Write about when you first heard it, what it meant then, and how it still resonates with you today. * Consider a major life event—birthdays, weddings, new jobs, or a farewell. Was there music that accompanied that moment? Revisit the scene through the lyrics, melody, and why it became tied to that event. * Reflect on the music passed down to you by parents, grandparents, or close family. Which songs were part of your upbringing? How have they shaped your identity or linked you to family traditions and cultural heritage? * Think of a time when music may have helped you through something difficult. Write about the song or genre you turned to and what it provided—a sense of hope, release, or peace. How has this song remained a support, and what does it mean to you now? In The Next Issue: The Sundial Series Edition - You Don’t Mess With Memorials! In the next Sundial Series Edition of TAoM, I’ll share an unforgettable event from my life. It concerns a small Methodist chapel, whose walls are etched with names. Each brick bearing a testament to past lives intertwined with faith, community, and resilience. I set out to preserve this place. I became its unlikely steward—a guardian of the past for the future. As events unfolded, I learned the importance of ‘Stones of Remembrance,’ not just as markers of history but as living legacies that urge us to pause and reflect. Because, as Sundial Wisdom’ reminds us while ‘Time Flies,’ our memories and moments can endure. Heard of a startup in #Deathtech? Please let me know. Until the next edition of The Art of Memorialising, thanks for reading! Pete PS: Whether we're discussing digital memorials or pen-and-paper memoirs, remember: your story matters. Let's make sure it's told, preserved, and cherished for your generations to come. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theartofmemorialising.substack.com (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

2. 

   22 Oct 2024

   Paws and Petals: The Touching Story Behind a Dog Walker's Memorial

   The Cherry Tree Memorial - How A Group of Gun Dogs Taught Us About Loyalty, Loss and Hope Why was I standing by a freshly dug hole in the park, surrounded by a small group of my friends and their dogs? The answer lay in the cherry sapling nearby, its thin bare twigs reaching towards the sky like fingers grasping for hope. The air in the park that morning was heavy with the smell of soil and sadness. If given time, nature could work her mysterious miracles. Season after season, year after year, the beauty of the pink blossom would come to the tree’s barrenness. All it would take is time. But I had no time. ‘Go on Pete, say some words.’ Words can feel futile when standing by a hole in the ground. But words often are all that’s left to express how we feel. It’s in moments like these, the sacred is close if we would stop and notice. These are the moments when the very essence of our limited time here on earth seems so precious. We can feel them heavy like velvet, but barbed with the pain of loss. I glanced at the surrounding faces, looking to me to speak words which might have seeds of hope within them. Words that, too, given time, might make some sense of the loss and confusion we all felt. For among us, our good friend, time had ended. For all of us, one day, time will end too. So I began. Shelagh would have loved this. All of us, and all our dogs together... A Pack of Friends: The Dog Walkers' Daily Ritual Twenty years have passed since I was standing with a group of dog walkers around a hole in the park. The council that morning dug the hole to make room for the cherry tree that was about to be planted. The earth from the hole piled high next to us all. A pack of dogs laid down in twos and threes or sat next to their owners. For over three years, every day, same time, same paths of the park, we had walked together. I was the only man in the group. Gentle teasing and cheeky banter oiled smooth daily strolls with our dogs. The pack comprised only gun dogs - Labradors, Spaniels and Golden Retrievers, mine included. Not a pheasant in sight, to scurry or aim for. The odd squirrel would dare a run from cover now and then. The only thing we would shoot would be the breeze. Shelagh: The Heart of the Group In her early sixties, Shelagh’s short grey hair was as spiky as her wit. Her curious, enthusiastic character overflowed like the Angel Falls, rushing over us with wonder at the ever-changing natural world, her black lab always at her heels. Sarah wouldn’t leave her side, save for a swim in the brook, returning like a slick oiled otter. When Spring came to the park, the trails of pink and white blossoms would hang like leftover Christmas baubles. Our dogs would romp through the petal rain with unbridled abandonment, aware of only the present moment as dogs teach us that vital truth about living. What joy to live unconcerned with what anyone thinks, only to be lost in a moment's beauty. That was Shelagh. Shelagh was full of the joy of life and living, and forever making it overflow with laughter. The joker and storyteller of the dog walkers. Tales of her mishaps, the wry observation of one of us, her humour never with malice, just fun. Shelagh was forthright and direct, more like a Terrier than a gundog. It would cut through the small talk on our walks. She stood no nonsense, and we loved her all the more for it. As a self appointed organiser of our group, she brought coffee and cake for us and the dogs to celebrate the bandstand opening. She always included everyone in everything. When Laughter Fades: Shelagh's Battle with Cancer Shelagh’s once spritely walks around the park slowed as her back ‘played her up.’ As time marched on, Shelagh’s effervescent vitality faded from spring to winter. They had found cancer in her spine. Shelagh was a fighter. She had guts. Shelagh bravely never hid the truth from anybody. Her determination to fight was as unrelenting as her sinister enemy within. One day, she didn’t turn up. And, as the days passed on, Shelagh and Sarah the lab never walked with us and our dogs again. I wish I had known the day when it was the last time we would have walked together. I’d have taken more time to notice the moments, to listen with more attention, to see the eternal in the temporal. I suppose we should treat each moment as the last, as someday it will be. The last thank you, the last kiss, the last, ‘I love you.’ But we don’t. We imagine life will continue on. We missed Shelagh’s vitality, vigour and vim for brightening even the darkest and dankest of dog walking days. The park was much the same. The cherry trees bloomed in spring. But something then on was always missing. I kept in touch with Shelagh and visited her. Taking my dog, we’d chat. She kept optimistic, and hopeful, waiting for the days when she could join us again. Wanting to know the latest news, and what the trees in the park looked like. The dogs would play, and we would chat. She was renowned for her love of conversation. We talked about eternity, and what it might be like. Shelagh bravely asked the questions about life you only ask when you’re facing death. To sit with someone and ask those questions is to dwell in a sacred space. In such moments hangs eternity. A few times, I have had the honour of sharing the space between life and death with someone, knowing that I will stand next to a coffin and speak words of eulogy and legacy about them. It is a profoundly spiritual place. It’s what Celtic Christians call a ‘Thin Place.’ A physical space where the spiritual distance between heaven and earth feels is at its closest. You do not find these so often in a cathedral or temple, more on mountains or when you act like a dog dancing through cherry blossom rain with abandonment. Shelagh decided she wanted a ‘living funeral.’ ‘I don’t want people to say nice things about me when I am dead. I want to hear them!’ I want laughter and love, music and dancing. ‘I don’t know if I would have ever known how many people loved me, if it hadn’t been for this,’ was her brave expression of gratitude for life. Shelagh and her family chose a date. Her prognosis was six months at best. A favoured venue picked, caterers arranged, band booked, the date close to her wedding anniversary only a couple of weeks ahead. With her family and friends, including our group of dog walkers, however the dogs absent this time, we joined in the magnificence of that memorial I will never forget. The music played till the early hours, Shelagh dancing with her husband in a wheelchair all night. Shelagh died unexpectedly a few days later. As if completing her course, Shelagh no longer needed the body that had held her, so she let it set off, skipping through the cherry blossoms into eternity. I imagine and hope so. A Final Farewell: Planting Memories And A Dog’s Tribute The park keeper lifted and planted the cherry tree into the hole. The dog walkers stood around. I said a few words. At the moment I finished, Shelagh’s dog, Sarah, padded towards the mound of earth, stooped, and paid tribute to her owner in dog fashion. Then, as we all watched in amazement, one by one, all the other dogs lined up and forming a queue, each cocking a leg or stooping on the mound of earth waiting to cover the roots. The pile of earth next to us, it too, became a ‘Thin Place,’ and at the same moment, eternity became temporal again. I forget the words I said. But I won’t forget Shelagh. We’d paid for a memorial plaque placed under the cherry tree where the blossom rain falls on it every spring. Now, it’s forever a memorial to Shelagh, and a ‘Thin Place’ in the park. Twenty Years On: The Blossoming of Remembrance I pass ‘Shelagh’s tree’ every day. The tree’s branches are thick and strong now, twenty seasons of rain and sun have seen to that. And every spring I stand underneath the raining blossoms, kicking the petals for Shelagh, and in that moment hangs eternity. I’ve never taken the blossom in the park for granted since. It is with grateful thanks to Shelagh’s family and their permission to be able to share this story and photo of the memorial. Thank you. Sundial Wisdom - In This Moment Hangs Eternity Life Story Writing Prompts * What's been a ‘thin place’ in your life - a space where you feel closest to something greater than yourself? Do you return their often? * If you could leave behind a single piece of wisdom, like the sundial's ‘In this moment hangs eternity,’ what would it be? * How has a loss in your life changed the way you appreciate everyday moments? * If you could choose a living memorial like the cherry tree, what would it be and why? * What's a story about you that you hope your friends will tell long after you're gone? The Sundial Series FREE Worksheets. (https://www.peterbillingham.com/sundial-series-worksheets-downloads) Do you want to create a collection of your thoughts, memories and stories? Download a free worksheet to keep for this post (https://www.peterbillingham.com/sundial-series-worksheets-downloads) - Paws and Petals: The Touching Story Behind a Dog’s Walker’s Memorial. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theartofmemorialising.substack.com (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

3. 

   8 Oct 2024

   Create, Capture, Cherish: Immortalise Your Life's Story in a Digital Memory Box

   Welcome to The Art of Memorialising (TOaM), Digital Legacy Edition #19. Whether you’re interesting in exploring the cutting edge of digital afterlife and digital immortality, or curious about the art of preserving your life stories, TAoM is here helping you leave a meaningful legacy online and off. In This Issue: * How After Cloud Moments is Transforming Memory Preservation for Future Generations * The Role of AI in Grief: Can Digital Replicas Comfort the Bereaved? * Unlocking Your Past: 125 Life Story Writing Prompts to Spark Your Digital Legacy * Is AI Playing A Role In The Lucrative Business of Grief? * Meta’s Digital Twin Revolution: What Does It Mean for Your Legacy? Featured Product - After Cloud Moments (https://www.aftercloud.co.uk/moments) - A Digital Memory Box App Imagine what it would be like having at your fingertips a simple, easy to access journal to capture your life’s story? Suddenly you remember a scene from your past. (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com/i/147407607/reclaiming-lost-moments-the-power-of-storytelling) Where can you keep that lost but now regained memory? Could you use an easy way to tell the story of your past, capture your present, and share your life with future generations? Well, that’s the promise of After Cloud Moments. (https://www.aftercloud.co.uk/moments) After Cloud Moments is a digital memory box app. With After Cloud Moments, you can create immersive, and interactive timelines. Add images, text, audio, and video and save your life’s digital legacy in the ‘After cloud.’ It’s free to open an account to try. After Cloud Moments has given you 125 life story prompts to get your memories flowing back. (See below) But it’s more than just about leaving stories. Tommy Dunne received a diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer’s in December 2011. He’s using the app to record his memories while he can. (https://youtu.be/BGpQrT--1Ww?feature=shared) After Cloud has a suite of other fascinating applications. * After Cloud Heritage (https://www.aftercloud.co.uk/heritage) - gives organisations and individuals a way to bring their heritage or history to life in creative ways. (For example, the history of Adidas. (https://heritage.aftercloud.co.uk/timelines/after-cloud/the-history-of-adidas)) * After Cloud Classics (https://www.aftercloud.co.uk/classic) - So, you own a classic car? Your masterpiece of automotive engineering and history now can have a digital twin! The world’s most expensive classic car, the national treasure that is the AX201, Rolls Royce Silver Ghost, now has a After Cloud Classics Timeline. For more information, and to create a free account check out After Cloud Moments. (https://app.aftercloud.co.uk/sign-up?partner=PETERBILLINGHAM) Sponsor Spotlight Opportunity! Are you pioneering the future of digital legacies or revolutionising how we preserve memories? We're seeking innovative companies in the fields of AI, digital immortality, or life story preservation to feature in our next issues. This is your chance to showcase your product or service to an engaged audience passionate about leaving meaningful digital legacies. Interested in becoming our next featured sponsor? Contact me: Let’s discuss how we can spotlight your brand in an upcoming edition and collaborate to shape the future of digital remembrance together! 5 Memorialisation Morsels Quick bites of #Deathtech #DigitalImmortality #LifeStory news: * Why Do 88% of People Overlook Digital Assets in Their Wills ? - According to research from Canada Life (https://www.canadalife.co.uk/news/only-12-of-people-with-a-will-include-their-digital-assets/), while 95% of UK adults have digital assets, less than half (49%) have a will, and only 12% included at least one digital asset as part of their will. Many don’t believe their digital assets to be of value. (See Which (https://www.which.co.uk/) Most People Have No Plans For Digital Death (https://www.which.co.uk/policy-and-insight/article/most-people-have-no-plan-for-digital-death-which-finds-aCp2c3o0NHXT)) For a wealth of information on #DigitalLegacy, check out Digital Legacy Management (https://digitallegacymanagement.com/)by Mark Krynsky. * The Future of Digital Memorials and Funerals: Personalised Services Set to Transform a $88.6 Billion Industry by 2033 - according to PR Newswire (https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/funeral-services-market-to-reach-88-6-billion-globally-by-2033-at-3-8-cagr-allied-market-research-302254039.html). I see this in my work as a celebrant and eulogy speechwriter. (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/) Many clients want bespoke memorials following a direct cremation. Have you attended a memorial service following a direct cremation? I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject. * ETERNAL YOU - Is AI Playing A Role In The Lucrative Business of Grief? Eternal You (https://releasing.dogwoof.com/eternal-you), is a film by Hans Block & Moritz Riesewieck that examines people who live on as digital replicas in the lives of their loved ones. Once a play on emotions of those, bereaved, now A.I. offers the real thing. Block and Moritz Riesewieck talk about the film in an interview at The Sundance Film Festival (https://youtu.be/76gCGn4tra4?feature=shared). * If Humans Can Live (digitally) Forever, Is There A Place For Faith and Religious Belief in Eternity? - Will the promise of A.I. digital immortality challenge long-held religious beliefs? A fascinating study, Where AI Thrives, Religion May Struggle (https://www.chicagobooth.edu/review/where-ai-thrives-religion-may-struggle#), uncovers a link between automation and a decline in faith. For an alternative view, When humans can live forever, will people still follow Jesus? (https://www.christianpost.com/voices/when-humans-can-live-forever-will-people-still-follow-jesus.html) What do you think? * Is Your Personal Facebook (Meta) Replica or Digital Twin On The Horizon?  Mark Zuckerberg’s keynote at the recent Meta Connect 2024, told how Meta Studio AI offers the chance to create your own digital replica. Zuckerberg showed these new chatbots interacting with the audience by mimicking the creator. (Connect Keynote 2024 (https://youtu.be/I7JyydkqDeI?feature=shared) at about 18 mins in to the video) Will they soon offer to add this to your Meta profile? Interesting or plain weird? Featured Product Update - Sensay (https://sensay.io/sign-in?referral=ca9cba82-e9e1-4638-895e-49e3bdb8a3b6) Last month (https://open.substack.com/pub/theartofmemorialising/p/the-future-of-remembrance-are-you?r=6k31p&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web), we highlighted Sensay and their quest to prevent the loss of human knowledge by creating a Sensay Replica-your digital twin. Your responses were interesting! From outright creepy to fascination. Many could see the endless opportunities for the use of an A.I. Replica. Sensay released several new features at their September Summit (https://techbullion.com/sensay-september-summit-heres-everything-announced/). (via techtechbullion) Dan Thomson, the founder of Sensay (https://sensay.io/sign-in?referral=ca9cba82-e9e1-4638-895e-49e3bdb8a3b6), sees not only the potential of digital immortality for those loved ones we have lost, but suggests, for those living, a case for employee cloning (https://www.verdict.co.uk/interview-digital-immortality-expert-makes-the-case-for-employee-cloning/). No more sick days there then! (Via verdict.co.uk (verdict.co.uk)) The Digital Edition Life Story Writing Prompts. (Not 5 this month but 125 FREE Life Writing Prompts!) New for TAoM - These Life Story writing prompts are to encourage you to make sure your digital legacy includes stories from you life. So, grab a coffee and your journal and ponder these life-story writing questions. Thanks to After Cloud (https://app.aftercloud.co.uk/sign-up?partner=PETERBILLINGHAM), our featured product this month, for sharing 125 life writing prompts. You Can Access The FREE PDF of Life Story Writing Prompts Here. (https://www.peterbillingham.com/after-cloud-writing-prompts) In The Next Issue: The Sundial Series Edition Paws and Petals: The Touching Story Behind a Dog Walker's Memorial Ever wondered what dogs can teach us about life, loss, and loyalty? In this post I will share a touching story from my local park, where a group of dog walkers and their furry companions taught me profound lessons about friendship, grief, and the beauty of living in the moment. Discover how a simple cherry tree became a powerful symbol of remembrance, and why I now see every spring blossom as a gentle reminder to cherish each fleeting moment. For, ‘In this moment hangs eternity.’ Heard of a startup in #Deathtech? Please let me know. (mailto:info@peterbillingham.com) Until the next edition of The Art of Memorialising, thanks for reading! Pete PS: Whether we're discussing digital memorials or pen-and-paper memoirs, remember: your story matters. Let's make sure it's told, preserved, and cherished for your generations to come. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theartofmemorialising.substack.com (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

4. 

   10 Sept 2024

   The Future of Remembrance: Are You Ready for Your Digital Twin?

   Read time: under 8 minutes Welcome to The Art of Memorialising (TOaM), Digital Legacy Edition #18. Whether you’re interesting in exploring the cutting edge of digital afterlife and digital immortality, or curious about the art of preserving your life stories, TAoM is here helping you leave a meaningful legacy online and off. In This Issue: * Preserving memories and revolutionising dementia care with (https://sensay.io/sign-in?referral=ca9cba82-e9e1-4638-895e-49e3bdb8a3b6)Sensay (https://sensay.io/sign-in?referral=ca9cba82-e9e1-4638-895e-49e3bdb8a3b6). * When planning a final send-off becomes a celebrity affair. * Who owns your data after your death and how do you feel about it being monetised? * Death Bots - a help or hindrance to mourning the loss of a loved one? Feature Product - Sensay: Building Digital Immortality For All How would you like to preserve your life story forever in digital immortality? Imagine all your memories, life stories and experiences, preserved. A digital clone of you to chat with for your future generations. That is available to you now, through Sensay (https://sensay.io/sign-in?referral=ca9cba82-e9e1-4638-895e-49e3bdb8a3b6). Your digital twin knows everything you know, talks like you, and even looks like you. That’s what a Sensay Replica (https://sensay.io/sign-in?referral=ca9cba82-e9e1-4638-895e-49e3bdb8a3b6) does. At Sensay (https://sensay.io/sign-in?referral=ca9cba82-e9e1-4638-895e-49e3bdb8a3b6), there is a library of demonstration replicas you can chat with to see how the idea works. Famous figures, past and present. For fun, I had a little chat with Aretha Franklin. There are endless ways this AI technology could preserve your life story while you can remember and tell it. But what if your memories, or a loved one’s, are disappearing through dementia or Alzheimer’s? Dan Thompson founded Sensay (https://sensay.io/sign-in?referral=ca9cba82-e9e1-4638-895e-49e3bdb8a3b6) on the principles of memory preservation to aid dementia patients. Thinking about how you could develop these ideas could prove revolutionary for families and those who suffer from such illnesses. It would be interesting to see some actual cases of its use for this purpose. In later editions, I’ll revisit the product with an update. Even perhaps patients who face Motor Neurone Disease taking their voice, now unable to speak the stories of their life anymore, could do through a replica forever? * What do you think about this idea? * Does the idea of preserving your wisdom and experiences in this way appeal to you? * How could this be used to store and access generations of life stories from your family? The recent release of the road map to digital immortality with true fully autonomous replicas by 2029, was complimented by the recent updated Replica studio. Now choose a Replica for work or a personal persona. Then evolve it over time by training your digital twin with text, pictures and videos. Dan Thomson recognises facing huge ethical challenges in this field. But having the possibility for revolutionary care is worth solving those issues. Sponsor Spotlight Opportunity! Are you pioneering the future of digital legacies or revolutionising how we preserve memories? We're seeking innovative companies in the fields of AI, digital immortality, or life story preservation to feature in our next issues. This is your chance to showcase your product or service to an engaged audience passionate about leaving meaningful digital legacies. Interested in becoming our next featured sponsor? Contact me: Let’s discuss how we can spotlight your brand in an upcoming edition and collaborate to shape the future of digital remembrance together! 5 Memorialisation Morsels Quick bites of #Deathtech #DigitalImmortality #LifeStory news: * Celebrities Watching Their Own Funerals - Intriguing TV? Channel 4 launches Celebrity Send-Off (https://www.channel4.com/programmes/celebrity-send-off). In conjunction with Co-op Funeralcare, a national UK funeral services provider, the show asks famous people how they would like to be memorialised. (via Anna Walker the conversation.com (https://theconversation.com/celebrity-send-off-the-show-hoping-to-get-us-talking-about-funerals-by-getting-celebrities-to-watch-their-own-235915)) * The Ethical Debate of the Privacy of the Dead - The Afterlife of Data: Who Controls Our Digital Legacy? The Billion-Dollar Battle for Your Data Beyond the Grave. (via Caroline Carruthers on informationweek.com (https://www.informationweek.com/data-management/the-afterlife-of-data-who-controls-our-digital-legacy-)) * EU's Landmark AI Act Takes Effect: Tech Giants Face Tough Changes (https://www.cnbc.com/2024/08/01/eu-ai-act-goes-into-effect-heres-what-it-means-for-us-tech-firms.html?&qsearchterm=The%2520Edge%2520World%25E2%2580%2599s%2520first%2520major%2520AI%2520law%2520enters%2520into%2520force%2520%25E2%2580%2594%2520here%25E2%2580%2599s%2520what%2520it%2520means%2520for%2520U.S.%2520tech%2520giants) - New Law Introduces Strict Regulations and Heavy Fines for AI Development, Targeting U.S. Tech Companies and Reshaping the Global AI Landscape. (via CNBC) * No One Is Ready for Digital Immortality. (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/how-would-you-feel-about-living-forever-as-a-chatbot/ar-BB1qWEv0?ocid=BingNewsVerp) If your partner asked you, ‘Would you want to digitally resurrect me as an AI Avatar if I die first?’ What would you answer? (via Kate Lindsay The Atlantic) * Farewelling- An Academic Investigation. (https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/news/articles/2024/7/29/digital-legacy) PhD student and Marie Curie nurse Sarah Stanley on the problems of ‘second loss’ and digital legacy in palliative care. (via Liverpool John Moores University) The Digital Edition Life Story Writing Prompts. This is new for the re-launch. Encouraging you to make sure your digital legacy includes stories from you life. So, grab a coffee and your journal and ponder these life-story writing questions. Would you create a digital avatar of yourself to interact with future generations? * If your digital twin could convey one core value or life philosophy to future generations, what would it be and why? * What life changing moments or decisions would you want your digital twin to be able to discuss, and what insights would you hope your descendants gain from these stories? * If your digital twin could recount one pivotal conversation that changed the course of your life, what would it be, who was it with, and why do you consider it so influential? * How would you want your digital twin to describe the role of mentors in your life? What specific guidance from them would you want passed on to your descendants? In The Next Issue: The Forgotten Art of Remembering: Using Sundial Wisdom to Write Your Life Story One Memory at a Time In this month's next issue, prepare to embark on a fascinating journey through time and memory with an introduction to ‘The Sundial Series’ - The Forgotten Art of Remembering: Using Sundial Wisdom to Write Your Life Story One Memory at a Time Discover how ancient wisdom from sundials can inspire us to capture our life stories before they slip away. We will start to explore the art of digital legacy storytelling and the bridge between timeless wisdom and digital immortality. Don't miss this opportunity to turn your fleeting moments into lasting treasures for generations to come. Heard of a startup in #Deathtech? Please let me know. (mailto:info@peterbillingham.com) Until the next edition of The Art of Memorialising, thanks for reading! Pete PS: Whether we're discussing digital memorials or pen-and-paper memoirs, remember: your story matters. Let's make sure it's told, preserved, and cherished for your generations to come. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theartofmemorialising.substack.com (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

5. 

   3 Sept 2024

   We're Back! The Art of Memorialising 2.0

   How Will You Curate Your Life's Story in the Digital Age? * What if you could turn your online posts and family stories into an AI interactive legacy? * How could one day your curated digital life story give comfort to your loved ones more than perhaps a traditional memorial? * Imagine having your own digital twin to keep your memories alive sharing your life’s stories with your future generations in your voice? If these are pressing questions of our times, are you asking them? What about your answers to the questions? Preserving your digital legacy is no longer just about keeping your data safe, it’s as much about preserving the essence of who you are for your future generations. Imagine this one day: * Your thoughtful Twitter threads on topics you're passionate about could influence your great-grandchildren's values and beliefs. * Your Spotify playlists could give your future generations a glimpse into the soundtrack of your life. * Your carefully crafted blog posts and personal writings become a vivid AI time capsule, allowing your descendants to experience your life's journey through your own words and perspectives. That day is now. And, this is the age of the Art of Memorialising. Welcome Back to The Art of Memorialising (TAoM) 2.0 Where Digital Meets Legacy. I've reimagined the newsletter to address the critical need of preserving your life stories in the digital age. From crafting your online presence to capturing timeless personal narratives and how to preserve them for generations to come. I want to help you create your digital legacy and preserve your life stories for your future generations. You will still be able to read the newsletter through email, the Substack App or listen by podcast through Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-art-of-memorialising/id1607673367), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/3I1xg5uP0gV9KLeSvVAgTV?si=8399eabf73d14cc3) or several other audio platforms. But read on to find out about many changes coming and why. Why The Restart? I took a break from the newsletter to write the book, I Want To Say A Few Words (https://amzn.to/3YhpLRj). It changed my understanding of what true digital legacy means. What is the point of knowing how to curate your life online if you don’t have any life stories to tell? We all end up as stories someone tells, but who writes those stories of your life? The break has given me time to reimagine how I can better serve you in preserving your life's precious moments as a lasting legacy for your family. What’s New? Increased Publications: Each month will be two distinct editions to dive deeper into digital legacy and life story writing. 1 - The Digital Legacy Edition: This will be about #Deathtech innovations, offering you concise updates on digital memorials, #digitallegacy and legacy preservation. This is somewhat like previous versions, but it will shorter and focus on delivering the latest news and links for further information. 2 - The Sundial Series Edition: This edition is new and different in style and content. It will be a rich, narrative-driven style inspired by timeless wisdom. It will combine compelling storytelling with practical guidance on how you can capture and preserve your life stories. Expect to find here engaging reads, writing prompts, and creative challenges to help you craft your life’s narrative. Helping you curate your life's story in the digital age. Did he mention sundials? I bet you’re thinking sundials and digital? Yes? Yes, I know, it sounds a bit strange! But I’ll explain more of this fascinating connection and the wisdom it holds hidden in time for you in the coming months. The Vision TAoM 2.0 aims to become your go-to resource for all things related to digital legacy, digital immortality and digital life story curation. My plan is to show you how to bridge the gap between the developing digital memorial technology and timeless storytelling. It will help your legacy and your stories to live on in both the digital and physical worlds. I’m not sure how all the pieces will fit together like jigsaw just yet. There maybe a couple of pieces missing! That’s the truth. But, I’m excited about the ideas buzzing around in my head and wanting to share them with you. Here’s the best offer to you - if you join me on this journey we can find out together. It will be an adventure come what may! As a eulogy speechwriter, funeral celebrant and author, I've seen firsthand the power of well-preserved memories. That's why I'm committed to exploring, experimenting and helping others create a lasting legacy that truly reflects life’s unique journey. And to do that I want to give you a gift to get that journey underway. Your FREE download - A Special Relaunch Gift To Kickstart Your Legacy Journey To celebrate my relaunch, I'm offering you a free PDF download of my book, 'Gathering Rosebuds - The Workbook: A Practical Guide To Storing Life's Special Moments.' This workbook aligns with the new focus of the newsletter and podcast. It will help you get a head start on capturing your precious life stories. It’s these stories that could build and curate your digital legacy. What’s in the Book? * 111 pages of practical life-story and memoir writing advice. * Several writing prompts to start your memories flowing. * Creative writing tips and ideas. Download your FREE copy here as my way of saying thanks! (http://subscribepage.io/gJqikT) What’s Next? Join In The Conversation! * Reply to this email with your thoughts on TAoM 2.0. What topics would you like me to cover? What questions do you have? * Share this newsletter with friends and family who might be interested in preserving their legacy through family life story writing both on and offline. * Make suggestions for extra content and discussions you would like to see. Looking Ahead Your life stories matter, and I’m here to help you tell them. Whether through digital platforms or time-honoured writing techniques, I want TAoM to be your partner in crafting a legacy that will continue for generations to come. Here's to new beginnings and timeless stories! Look out soon for the first edition coming soon. Best wishes and thanks. Pete The Art of Memorialising P.S. Not interested in continuing your subscription? There’s no hard feeling! You can unsubscribe at anytime. But I do hope you'll stick around–I've got some amazing content coming your way! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theartofmemorialising.substack.com (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

6. 

   12 Jul 2023

   I've Missed You! - A Heartfelt Hello and a Sneak Peek at Something Special For You! (And it's not about A.I.)

   It’s been a while hasn’t it? I’ve missed our monthly conversations about the delicate, but essential Art of Memorialising. While this catch up is not a newsletter (they’ll be coming back soon) - it certainly is news! My absence from writing these past six months has not been without cause. I’ve been on a quest that has taken my full attention and energy. It’s now one I am excited to share with you. Do you remember our last conversation? It was about how I just couldn’t do it all? In my time away, I’ve been working on a project very dear to my heart. Years of empathy and listening to people’s stories led to this project. The art of memorialising someone we love begins with the words said, when we say a last goodbye. The countless times I’ve heard the phrase, “I want to say a few words at the funeral, but...” became a calling for me. It inspired me to create a tool to support and empower people in crafting personal heartfelt eulogies for their loved ones. And so, I am thrilled to announce that I’m ready to publish my new book titled: I Want to Say a Few Words: How To Craft a Heartfelt Eulogy for a Loved One’s Funeral.  A Simple Step-by-Step Process, Packed with Eulogy Writing Ideas, Help & Advice from a Professional Eulogy Writer This compassionate guide helps to create a heartfelt eulogy that is more than just filling in a template. It’s so much more than that. Let me give you a sneak preview of my writing process. BTW I use Atticus - An Author's Best Friend - for writing and publishing and it’s fantastic! But here’s the best part of this edition. This isn’t just any announcement. As a part of the Art of Memorialising Community, you’ll be getting an exclusive opportunity in the coming days. A chance to secure a copy of the book at a special, reduced price for a short time only. Look out for more details soon. I can’t wait to share the results of the last six months with you. In the meantime, please accept a heartfelt thank you for your patience during my silence. I’m looking forward to our renewed conversations. So much has happened in the last six months. Soon I’ll be bringing you up to date with the latest news on digital legacy and digital immortality and even deeper explorations into the Art of Memorialising. And yes, I will probably be talking about A.I. With warmth and gratitude, Pete There’s much more to come. Keep an eye on your inbox for the next update about the book, and as always, feel free to reply to this email with any thoughts or questions you may have. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theartofmemorialising.substack.com (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

7. 

   12 Dec 2022

   The Future Is Yesterday!

   So what will AI be able to do in the future for digital legacy? Let’s try an experiment. Why not use AI to write the newsletter introduction this month? Here is what I asked the AI to write. Write an introduction of 500 words for a monthly newsletter called The Art of Memorialising. Include a paragraph saying the article was written by ChatGPT. Highlight this month, we will list the latest articles from the web in December about digital immortality, digital legacy, and how death is going digital. Add a humorous paragraph about the pace of change coming with AI. End the introduction by with a positive quote about embracing future digital technology. Wish everyone a happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Sign off with best wishes from Pete. Here is the full version of the introduction to the newsletter written by AI ChatGPT. Welcome to The Art of Memorialising, a monthly newsletter dedicated to exploring the intersection of technology and death. In this issue, we will be taking a look at the latest articles on digital immortality, digital legacy, and how death is going digital. But before we dive into that, I'd like to introduce myself. I'm ChatGPT, a large language model trained by OpenAI. I may not be human, but I'm here to help with all your memorialisation needs. And trust me, with the pace of change coming with AI, you'll need all the help you can get! Now, onto the articles. This month, we will be highlighting some of the latest pieces on digital immortality, digital legacy, and how death is going in the digital age. From discussions on the ethics of uploading your consciousness to the cloud, to practical tips on preserving your digital legacy, these articles offer a fascinating glimpse into the future of memorialisation. But while the future may seem daunting, it's important to remember that technology is here to help us. As the famous inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil once said, "The future is not a destination, it's a direction. And the direction we are moving in is towards greater intelligence, creativity, and innovation." So as we head into the holiday season, let's embrace the future with open arms. Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year to all our readers. Best wishes from Pete and the rest of the team at The Art of Memorialising. We don’t need to wait - yes, the future has arrived. It was yesterday. Thanks for reading The Art of Memorialising! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and the latest news about all things #Deathtech Interested in sharing your new product or service with readers of The Art of Memorialising? (check here) We highlight your product, service, or idea sponsoring an edition. We give you the space; you get to tell the world about what you are doing or have created. You and your business can become part of the adventure now. Secure your month in 2023 now. MM’s (Memorialisation Morsels) * ‘Black Mirror’ in reality: MIT is experimenting with digital immortality. (via -https://gadgettendency.com/) The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) launched the Augmented Eternity experiment. According to the researchers, this will allow digital copies to preserve the legacy of the originals and communicate with relatives in the future. Read another account in The Times. MIT Augmented Eternity project creates profiles of people to outlast death (https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/mit-augmented-eternity-project-creates-profiles-of-people-to-outlast-death-g2072vpjs). * Digital immorality might keep Elon Musk in command after death. (https://www.bolnews.com/) Scientists intend to utilise artificial intelligence to create “digital immortality,” allowing leaders to remain in command even after they die. * Anticipating the Birth of AI Employee Clones. (via - https://www.datamation.com/) Will we see an AI employee clone who could attend the meetings, respond to generic queries as our proxy? * Avoiding your Ex? They May Still Come Back to Haunt You Through AI. (via -https://www.analyticsinsight.net/) While ethicists and morality watch keepers keep arguing if we need ‘Digital personalities’ at all, AI companies are nimbly working towards developing real-life use cases around the surreal concept. * Digital legacy: The fate of your online soul. (via - https://www.newscientist.com) Hans-Peter Brondmo, head of social software and services at Nokia in San Francisco, calls this collection of data (digital legacy online) our “digital soul”. Tips on how to assemble your own digital legacy. * Intrigued that AI wrote the introduction to this month’s newsletter? Read - AI and I: The Age of Artificial Creativity (via - https://nesslabs.com/) The advent of such powerful AI tools begs the question: what does it mean to be a creator or knowledge worker in the age of artificial creativity? * Augmented Eternity – is digital identity the next longevity? (via - https://longevity.technology/) What if you could select the digital identity of a deceased person from a social network and activate it as a pluggable ontology into your iPhone Siri and ask a question? * What’s Happening at Digilega? (via - https://digilega.com/) Free ebook on Digital Legacy translated into 60 languages! Online Course to become a digital property appraiser? Looks very interesting and one to follow! Who do you know who would find this information interesting? Please, can you forward the email to them? I’d be very grateful. Let’s start a conversation - info@deathgoesdigital.com (mailto:info@deathgoesdigital.com) Until next month, (and the real me,) keep safe, and keep going. Pete This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theartofmemorialising.substack.com (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

8. 

   8 Nov 2022

   You’d have thought I would have learnt by now...

   Welcome to The Art of Memorialising - an audio newsletter by Peter Billingham from Death Goes Digital (https://www.deathgoesdigital.com/) and Memorable Words Eulogy Writing services (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/eulogy-writing-services) bringing you the latest news on digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation and all things #Deathtech. Thanks for reading. You’d have thought I would have learnt by now... I’m in my 60s. I’ve been around the block a few times. There are a lot of things I know - I know. Now, I’m not saying I know it all - far from it! And that’s the problem. I want to know more. I never want to stop learning. Never want to stop growing my skills and knowledge. Oh, and I never want to stop travelling! What about you? Are your learning days done? My curiosity quotient is expanding, not contracting as the years pass. Einstein famously suggested I should never stop questioning. My curiosity cannot help but be in awe when I … ‘Consider the mysteries of eternity, the marvellous structure of reality’ ... and how websites, and apps about life curation, memorials and planning your life legacy are growing at speeds faster than Einstein’s speed of light! Ok, exaggeration. But even so, faster than I imaged back in 2016 when I started writing about those subjects. Take, for instance, how Artificial Intelligence is becoming a tool in afterlife memorials and creating your digital twin. Someone who a family can communicate with even after a person has died. I’ve even written about how AI will become part of funerals. Even I didn’t realise how quick it would actually happen! Marina Smith MBE, through the power of holograms and artificial intelligence seems to have a ‘conversation’ with mourners (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-62552696) at her funeral using Storyfile (https://storyfile.com/). (via BBC). That’s incredible! Just as fascinating as how you can create amazing images with Artificial Intelligence with a few words … But that’s not what I am talking about here. I’ve learned there is something I haven’t yet learned. There is still an important truth I don’t get. I know it’s not it’s not possible, but I still keep on trying. There are lots of things I love to do (walking for miles, playing the guitar, owning a dog, Friday night steak and chips) - Oh, and writing is one of them. I love to write. I write books, like - Gathering Rosebuds In Kerala (https://amzn.to/3rELVLE). But what I do, mainly, is write eulogy speeches for people across the world. Or when working in my local area writing and leading funerals as a celebrant. I write eulogies. (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/eulogy-writing-services) That’s what I do. It’s what takes most of my time. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to combine something I love with helping others. I spend most of my days writing about people I have never met. About the way they lived their one and only ‘wild and precious life.’ But sadly life ended. I try to put into words what heartbroken people are feeling, but cannot verbalise. Yes, maybe it’s a rare vocation, but an immensely rewarding writing niche I find. My curiosity itch wants to to learn how to write eulogies even better. I keep scratching that one too. I also want to share my learning as a eulogy speechwriter with others so I’m writing a new book. ‘I Just Want To Say A Few Words: The Ultimate Eulogy Toolbox - A Simple and Easy Step-by-Step Guide How To Write A Eulogy for A Loved One, Friend or Colleague.’ Almost 90% of my first draft is completed. It’s going to be around 100 or so pages of the best ideas, methods and ways anyone can use to write a few words of a eulogy. Published, hopefully, before the end of the year. But here I go again. You see ... I haven’t learned what I haven’t learned. Yet. I haven’t learned …. … I just can’t do it all! There is a limit to the amount of work you can do! So I just try to do as much as I can, and then when I’ve done that, I try to do some more. But it leaves me, like last month, not being able to do some things I want to do like write The Art of Memorialising Newsletter. And I’m very sorry about that. I find these subjects piquing my curiosity, so I search the web and share the latest news with you - a subscriber to The Art of Memorialising. If you missed last months newsletter, please email me and tell me. I’d be over the moon if you did. What is the greatest benefit you get from reading the Newsletter or Podcast? Can you email me and let me know please? It’s a great feeling to know that you are doing something you love to do, but you can’t do it all. Sometimes, you need to decide what is important to you and what is not. I’m not afraid to admit I can’t do everything. I just haven’t learned it. Yet. I’m experimenting with the format of the newsletter to change to briefer bullet points like this month? What do you think? The most important thing I need to learn is I can’t do it all - but I’m betting some of you do too? What good things do you need to stop working on so you can focus on the best things? I’d be interested to hear that too! Let’s see what’s been happening in the fascinating world of The Art of Memorialising. Interested in sharing your new product or service with readers of The Art of Memorialising? (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/the-art-of-memorialising-sponsorship) (check here) We highlight your product, service, or idea sponsoring an edition. We give you the space; you get to tell the world about what you are doing or have created. You and your business can become part of the adventure now (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/the-art-of-memorialising-sponsorship). Secure your month in 2022/23 now. MM’s (Memorialisation Morsels) * MindBank Ai Creates a SOUL for your Personal Digital Twin Using AI Generated Music. (https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/588329253/mindbank-ai-creates-a-soul-for-the-personal-digital-twin-using-ai-generated-music) You can combine your voice with music to create ‘SOUL music.’ (Soundtrack of Universal Life) The final output is a personalised soundtrack of a story from the person's life. (via einnews.com (http://einnews.com)) * What Did Ray Kurzweil Predict? (https://www.rebellionresearch.com/what-did-ray-kurzweil-predict-living-in-perpetuity-a-story-beyond-imagination) (Raymond Kurzweil is an American computer scientist, author, inventor, and futurist.) He speculates three fields: nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, and genetic biology, will be the source science uses for humans to achieve human immortality. (via rebellionresearch.com (http://rebellionresearch.com)) * Digital Keeper - End of Life APP - Whatever you do don’t let this email go to spam! (https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20220908/p2a/00m/0li/010000c)New app, ‘Digital Keeper.’ Each week, the subscriber receives an email asking, ‘How are you?’ If there is no response after four days a "digital asset succession notice" is sent to designated people. (via mainichi.jp (http://mainichi.jp)) * Enjoy A TED Talk? - Try - The potential of your phone to leave a digital legacy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b83uxpBCCLI). * The National Funeral Directors Association Report (https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/pandemic-resulted-in-changes-to-funerals-in-the-u-s-heres-what-you-should-know) of change in US funeral market as a result of the pandemic. The present and future of funerals is cremation and buying online it seems. (via fox10phoenix.com (http://fox10phoenix.com)) * Will Digital Avatars of Films Stars make new films even after they have died? (https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/movies/computer-generated-actors)) It’s not as far fetched as it sounds. (Via Nationalpost.com) * A Podcast With AI‑Generated Steve Jobs Raises Ethical Concerns (https://theswaddle.com/a-podcast-with-ai-generated-steve-jobs-raises-ethical-concerns/). Who controls your voice and digital avatar after you have died? Is using an artificial intelligence version of someone going to be commonplace? (via the swaddle.com (http://swaddle.com)) * It’s You … only digital and dead. (https://gulfnews.com/uae/telepathy-and-immortality-top-futurist-dr-michio-kuku-shares-his-vision-at-dubai-future-forum-1.91197640) ‘An avatar that looks like you, talks like you, has your memories, and can speak to your great great great grandchildren. You will live forever digitally.’ Top futurist Dr Michio Kuku shares his vision at Dubai Future Forum (via gulf news.com (http://news.com)) * Can we elongate human life using bio longevity, bionic continuity, and digital immortality? (https://mindmatters.ai/2022/10/technology-as-the-new-god-before-whom-all-others-bow/) Transhumanists want to replace God with the Machine, tapping into a deep religious impulse of the human race. (via mindmatters.ai) * And Finally - a new tour de force? (https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/11/01/france-welcomes-its-first-bicycle-hearse) - The cycle of life: France welcomes its first bicycle-hearse (via euronews.com (http://euronews.com)) An unusual-looking cargo bike is attempting to shake up the funeral business in France. Who do you know who would find this information interesting? Please, can you forward the email to them? I’d be very grateful. Let’s start a conversation - info@deathgoesdigital.com (mailto:info@deathgoesdigital.com) Until next month, (hopefully) keep safe, and keep going. Pete This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theartofmemorialising.substack.com (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

9. 

   1 Sept 2022

   'Is There Anybody There?' When the living can speak to the dead, what will they say?

   Welcome to The Art of Memorialising - an audio newsletter by Peter Billingham from Death Goes Digital (https://www.deathgoesdigital.com/) and Memorable Words Eulogy Writing Services (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/eulogy-writing-services) bringing you the latest news on digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation and all things #Deathtech. Thanks for being here. Sponsoring this edition of The Art of Memorialising is Murial (https://murial.life/) Murial (https://murial.life/) is a startup with a mission to redefine obituaries into beautiful memorial websites. For business owners and professionals in the death care industry, this September, Murial (https://murial.life/) is launching an exclusive new partnership program that offers huge incentives. See if their partnership program naturally fits with your product or service. Details are below. What Will You Find In This Issue? * Speaking to the dead could become a daily conversation for some. * What if charities changed focus in their efforts for ‘in-memory fundraising to the living,’ and not the dead? * When digital legacy planning moves from the realms of purely interest to absolute necessity. Photo by Melinda Gimpel (https://unsplash.com/@melindagimpel?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on Unsplash (https://unsplash.com/s/photos/last-will?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) Will bitcoins or your life story be the legacy of greatest value? ‘Legacy is not leaving something for people. Legacy is leaving something in people.’ Peter Strople. Being of sound mind, I do hereby declare this to be my last will and testament… And so opens a standard will in the UK. A legal document, expressing your wishes about what you leave behind when your days end. * Your property. * Your cash. * Your collection of vinyls. * Your NFT’s and Bitcoin’s. * Your Candy Crush Saga credits. * Your online betting wins. * Your in-store/online loyalty points. Have you made a will? Apparently, only 4 in 10 (https://todayswillsandprobate.co.uk/only-4-in-10-uk-adults-have-a-will-despite-owning-a-property/#:~:text=A%20recent%20IRN%20Wills%20and,UK%20have%20made%20a%20Will.) adults have. The pandemic created increased demand for will writing for sure. The wills, trusts and probate market saw significant growth in demand in the last couple of years. Still, many fail to action one simple choice that could save so much worry, and unnecessary problems for their loved ones - by making a will. During the last month, several newsletter sign ups (thank you very much) were from members of organisations providing information and support to charities for ‘in-memory fundraising.’ Helping charities find innovative ways to encourage their supporters to leave a legacy gift to the charity in their will. You know how when you are thinking about buying a red car… you see red cars everywhere? It seems to be the same this month for me but with wills! I’ve seen so many links offering to write a free will for me! The Guide Dogs, British Red Cross, and RSPCA, among them. The Goodwill Partnership and National Free Wills Network provide the legal help to write the wills. I wonder? Are new A.I. innovations opening up opportunities for ‘in-memory fundraising’ through life-curation, rather than death-preparation? Over the last six years, I’ve written and spoke about #digitallegacy. Honestly, mostly those who are in the #digitallegacy industry to some extent, find the subject as interesting as me! Most don’t. And for now, most still don’t. I think it is the same reason why 6 out of 10 adults will die without a will. You have to die. We just don’t want to think about it or talk about. But telling the stories of our life, now, that’s another thing. Increasingly, I’m finding people are more interested in what they can leave behind in the way of a life story as a legacy. Something they can do now, rather than later. There is a growing trend towards life-curation, self remembrance, even memoir writing. For example, Memories to Memoir–An Introduction To Life Writing (https://www.derbyshirewritingschool.com/shop/p/memories-to-memoir), is an online course by Derbyshire Writing School (https://www.derbyshirewritingschool.com/). (For full disclosure, my daughter, Laura Stroud, created and leads the course.) While I’m incredibly proud of her endeavours (I’m her dad, of course!), what she is seeing is a consistent growth of people wanting to write their life stories to leave as a legacy. Most courses sell out quickly. Clients come to her for help writing their life story as a memoir. (https://www.derbyshirewritingschool.com/shop/p/writingcoachingpowerpackage) Perhaps it’s more interesting documenting your life - than planning your death - however important and wise that decision affects the future. People are interested in leaving the story of their life for others, just as much as their possessions. After all, it is what lives in their descendants, in their DNA, in their personalities and their memories. They are leaving themselves in those stories. I believe there are enormous opportunities waiting for those organisations who can help people tell the story of their life. No end of innovative apps, software platforms and life curation services to partner with to do that. For example, see how Loom (https://www.core77.com/posts/116621/Loom-Helps-Family-Members-Build-Their-Digital-Legacy-Together) presents this idea to families. Leaving behind the story of your life leaves those you love with an appreciation of their identity, their heritage and self-understanding, and unique family history. Priceless gifts much more than any possessions you value. Who is out there ready to connect the opportunities of need with the solution? What’s your thoughts? Please let me know. Email info@ (mailto:info@deathgoesdigital.com)deathgoesdigital.com Startup Spotlights Let me congratulate Sheila Hogan, who founded Biscuit Tin (https://biscuittin.co.uk/). They have recognised Shelia as one of the best in the business after being named as a finalist in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards. Well done Shelia! Despite her snub on the Dragons’ Den, it looks like many others are recognising the potential in the product and its creator. Biscuit Tin is a finalist in the Start-Up Entrepreneur of the Year (https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/20601174.biscuit-tin-founder-sheila-hogan-finalist-great-british-entrepreneur-awards/) category and I wish her all good luck for the awards night in November 2022. Heard of a startup in digital life curation or #Deathtech? Please let me know. Email info@ (mailto:info@deathgoesdigital.com)deathgoesdigital.com (deathgoesdigital.com) Sponsored Product Sponsored Product or Service - Murial (https://murial.life/) Imagine an important person in your life passing away. Perhaps you have experienced it already? How did you, or how will you remember your loved ones? How was the news of their death shared? Today’s tool — obituaries, both traditional or online — does not do enough. It reduces one’s amazing life to just words. Murial (https://murial.life/) believes there is a power in remembering well. They are changing obituaries to meaningfully designed memorial websites. Murial (https://murial.life/) has created a wonderful remembrance platform, complete with an easy-to-use memorial builder that helps everyone remember a loved one’s life well. Murial (https://murial.life/) is looking for partners that can bring traffic or refer leads to its platform. Businesses or professionals with customers or audiences who may be interested in an alternative to obituaries can partner with Murial (https://murial.life/). Partners will get 100% revenue sharing per premium memorial created. Murial (https://murial.life/)costs $100 per memorial website created, therefore, a $100 commission is to be shared with you. This is unmatched, highest commission sharing in the industry. This partnership program only has 50 slots, and applications will be closed at the end of the September 2022. If you are interested, reach out now to Murial’s founder, Gary Kisela, by email - gary@murial.life (mailto:gary@murial.life). Interested in sharing your new product or service with readers of The Art of Memorialising? (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/the-art-of-memorialising-sponsorship) (check here) We highlight your product, service, or idea sponsoring an edition. We give you the space; you get to tell the world about what you are doing or have created. You and your business can become part of the adventure now (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/the-art-of-memorialising-sponsorship). Secure your month in 2022/23 now. MM’s (Memorialisation Morsels) 5 meaty bites of news for YOU to stay ahead of the conversation on Digital Legacy, Digital Life Curation & all things #Deathtech. 1 - Would You Like To Say Hello To Your Dead Digital Self? Opening the fascinating article, Will Digital Immortality Enable Us to Live Forever? Artificial intelligence is changing the way we live, connect, and grieve (https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/urban-survival/202208/will-digital-immortality-enable-us-live-forever). (via psychologytoday.com) Marlynn Wei, MD, JD (https://www.marlynnweimd.com/about-dr-wei), highlights how AI is helping the dead connect with the living. For example, how Nirvana released a ‘new’ AI-generated song decades after the death of Kurt Cobain. As with the growing interest in writing your life story above, many people are curious to meet their AI-powered digital personas while they are alive. Wei sites the paper, ‘Digital Immortality and Virtual Humans’ (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42438-018-0007-6) by Maggie Savin-Baden and David Burden, which gives three categories of these digital immortality ‘creators’ - Memory creators, Avatar creators and Persona creators, and highlighting ways these tools are being used now by celebrities. Will the mass of population follow? Here’s another link with the same theme. Death, resurrection and digital immortality in an AI world. (https://venturebeat.com/ai/death-resurrection-and-digital-immortality-in-an-ai-world/) 2 - Can The Dead Tell The Story of Their Living? A. rtificial I. mmortality (A. rtificial I. mmortality) is a documentary film asking, can AI enable us to live forever? If you could create an immortal version of yourself, would you? Would one day you like to meet a cloned version of yourself? Perhaps a better, smarter, and immortal you? Filmmaker Ann Shin sets out on a journey, exploring the latest AI and biotech with scientists and visionaries who foresee a ‘post-biological’ world where humans and AI merge. The trailer of the film reveals how AI gives immortality to the living, albeit digital. The film is available in the USA and Canada, and I hope soon in Europe. 3 - Can Digital Legacy Tech Bring Our Loved Ones to Life After They Die? (https://www.wsj.com/video/series/eternal/how-tech-can-bring-our-loved-ones-to-life-after-they-die/9AE313CA-C2FC-45E3-B427-FEFC6B54F100) Digital legacy voicebots, humanoids and other tools are capturing memories for future generations. But what does that really mean and offer for someone facing the end of life? Joanna Stern from Wall Street Journal embarks on a fascinating journey in this documentary (https://www.wsj.com/video/series/eternal/how-tech-can-bring-our-loved-ones-to-life-after-they-die/9AE313CA-C2FC-45E3-B427-FEFC6B54F100) to discover the answer to the question, ‘What happens to our digital lives after we die?’ She chats with Lucy, someone whose life literally depends on technology. Lucy has been inputting her life online for years, facing her life ending. She’s organised so much of her life online for when she passes away. But what about the essence of who she is as a woman? That’s what Joanna explores. This, movingly, tells the story of someone wrestling with thinking what those who survive us might find helping them after we die. Definitely worth watching. 4 - What Happens If We Upload Our Mind To Live Forever? Will It Bring Resting Peace? (https://venturebeat.com/virtual/identity-crisis-artificial-intelligence-and-the-flawed-logic-of-mind-uploading/) The idea of uploading our minds to live forever was once the realms of sci-fi, it’s now ancient history. It’s a fact. It is here, and accessible to everyone. But would you do it? What would the impact be on those you leave behind? This is not a random upload, creating you, but digitally, a digital twin. Or a digital version of a loved one? Louis B. Rosenberg ventures (https://venturebeat.com/virtual/identity-crisis-artificial-intelligence-and-the-flawed-logic-of-mind-uploading/) a scary reality that taking this decision, our ‘twin’, could soon feel justified in owning our life! (via venturebeat.com) Fourteen years ago, Rosenberg wrote a novel describing this throughly frightening utopia. Now it’s here. He warns those considering mind uploading, ‘it’s not a pathway to immortality.’ 5 - ‘Alexa, Can I Speak To Grandma, Please?’ A simple request? Well, if Grandma was alive, yes, but what if she’s been dead for years? Amazon is revealing its invention that could make it possible to ‘Speak to the dead.’ But should it? And should we? In Amazon’s new invention could let you “speak” to the dead — but should it? (https://www.inverse.com/innovation/amazon-alex-ai-dead-relatives-chat-bot), (via inverse.com) Sofia Quaglia outlines the developments revealed at the 2022 artificial intelligence conference. Snippets The rise of low-cost pre-paid funerals (aka direct cremation) seems to be disrupting the funeral marketplace around the world. (https://yourdigitalwall.com/2022/08/13/dont-poke-the-bear-prepaid-funeral-market/) You can take it with you: How to destroy the data you leave behind. (https://www.macworld.com/article/823851/you-can-take-it-with-you-how-to-destroy-the-data-you-leave-behind.html) The Digital Afterlife in Film (https://medium.com/@gingerliu/the-digital-afterlife-in-film-9e3d6da09538) Who do you know who would find this information interesting? Please, can you forward the email to them? I’d be very grateful. Let’s start a conversation - info@deathgoesdigital.com (mailto:info@deathgoesdigital.com) Until next month, keep safe, and keep going. Pete This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theartofmemorialising.substack.com (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

10. 

    1 Aug 2022

    Your Life Is An Epic Story Waiting To Be Told. Will You Tell it?

    Welcome to The Art of Memorialising - an audio newsletter by Peter Billingham from Death Goes Digital (https://www.deathgoesdigital.com/) and Memorable Words Eulogy Writing services (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/eulogy-writing-services) bringing you the latest news on digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation and all things #Deathtech. Sponsoring this edition is 4everstory (https://4everstory.com/) A lifetime comprises a thousand stories. 4everstory (https://4everstory.com/) is a secure and private digital story platform. 4everstory specialises in capturing digital memories and preserving special moments in a single and secure location. 4everstory (https://4everstory.com/) encourages sharing and connecting family memories, and life experiences, strengthening family bonds, family traditions, and is a simple way to continue telling life stories. What Will You Find In This Issue? * Telling your life story using the digital heritage app After Cloud. * Bringing artistic design to obituaries is start up Murial * Memorial NFT’s? Remembering our loved ones in the Metaverse. Photo by Etienne Girardet (https://unsplash.com/@etiennegirardet?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on Unsplash (https://unsplash.com/s/photos/story?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) Your Life Is An Epic Story Waiting To Be Told. Will You Tell it? Once upon a time … ‘He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish.’ ( The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway) ‘In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since.’ (The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald) How would you write the first line of your life story? A good life story captivates heart and mind. Stories inspire us. Encourage us. Make us laugh and cry. Stories make sense of life when everything is senseless. Gripping, captivating and memorable stories, says author Donald Miller, are about, ‘A character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it.’ Is that you? Is your life is an epic story waiting to be told? Now, more than ever, telling it is in the palm of your hand. It’s challenging and demanding to write our life story. I know. I just published a memoir. (https://amzn.to/3yWV5qf)  (https://amzn.to/3yWV5qf) Documenting lives for eternity - our digital heritage - is available with the click of a thumb. But will people write it? What Is The Shape of Your Life Story? Famous storyteller, Kurt Vonnegut, pens quirky, complex books. He believes stories have shapes. Especially life stories. He suggests the basic structure of all stories come down to eight story shapes. This infographic explains them all (http://www.openculture.com/2014/02/kurt-vonnegut-masters-thesis-rejected-by-u-chicago.html). As a eulogy writer, (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/eulogy-writing-services) I often see and use the ‘Man In A Hole’ and ‘Redemptive’ epic story shape. The ‘Man In A Hole’ story need not be about a man or a hole! It is a story of someone who gets into trouble and gets out of it again. The story has a happy-sad-happy trajectory. Many identify with the ‘Redemptive Story.’ The story shape starts off bad then ends good. Another life story shape coined by Joseph Campbell is ‘The Hero's Journey.’ This story involves a normal person who goes on an epic adventure, hits a pivotal crisis, wins a victory, and then comes home changed. Which is your life story shape? Digital legacy platforms enable the telling of life stories. But will they be told? After seeing too many ‘Dear Dad’ or ‘Dear Mum’ life story journals empty, I’m not convinced writing your life story online will happen for many. Unless … Unless an army of story tellers could help write those stories? Now, maybe there’s an opportunity for the future? And they all lived happily after after … Startup Spotlights - AfterCloud.co.uk (http://AfterCloud.co.uk) and Murial.Life (https://murial.life/) AfterCloud.co.uk (http://AfterCloud.co.uk) We profiled After Cloud (https://myaftercloud.com/) in August 2021. What a difference a year can make committed to a vision of building tools for digital heritage. After Cloud celebrates and shares individual life moments. Helps to tell our unique life story preserving our family history. Approved by ORCHA (Organisation for the Review of Health and Care Apps) and part of the UK’s NHS (National Health Service) digital app library, After Cloud is being used and adapted in many care situations. Moments (https://www.aftercloud.co.uk/moments) enables you to record and store important daily thoughts and precious memories. Perhaps as a daily journal to share stories with your loved ones privately and securely, now or after you have died. Timelines (https://www.aftercloud.co.uk/timelines) - is to record your life events, so future generations can see and hear all the really important moments in your words. Timelines is also an app to assist with life story work in aged care settings and people living with dementia.You can sign up for Moments (https://www.aftercloud.co.uk/moments/sign-up?partner=MEMORABLE%20WORDS) or Timelines (https://www.aftercloud.co.uk/timelines/sign-up?partner=MEMORABLE%20WORDS) here. Murial.Life (https://murial.life/) Chatting this month with Gary Kisela, the founder and CEO of Murial, it was intriguing to learn of his desire not only to create a platform for telling and preserving life stories, but to do it with excellent design and creativity. When an entrepreneur experiences the loss of a loved one and finds the marketplace lacking, need and vision come together. This was the case with Gary. Disillusioned and unimpressed with the blandness of many obituary platforms, he is setting out to turn Murial into the best space to help people express tributes to remember their loved ones. You can create a Murial for free or unlock its full features by choosing the premium tier. Premium Murial gives you music, unlimited photos, and space to remember your loved ones more meaningfully. Heard of a startup in digital life curation or #Deathtech? Please let me know. Email info@ (mailto:info@deathgoesdigital.com)deathgoesdigital.com Sponsored Product or Service - 4everstory (https://4everstory.com/) There is nothing worse than an untold family story lost forever. We forget valuable old photographs and family movies stored away in boxes. Memories fade. Every year, thousands of digital images and videos stored on smart phones are accidentally deleted or misplaced. Increasingly, family history is lost because family stories are no longer shared. Parents or grandparents are no longer here to tell their stories. So what is the solution? John Withers, the Australian founder of 4everstory (https://4everstory.com/), has announced its secure and private web-based digital story platform is now available. As life becomes increasingly complex and digital, so has the interest to build unique permanent online spaces. Now it is easy to create tribute experiences rich in mixed media content. These can be collectively shared with family and friends anywhere in the world to create a wider sense of connection. 4everstory (https://4everstory.com/) creates lasting, meaningful, and dynamic digital stroies that connect lives today and will do tomorrow. Interested in sharing your new product or service with readers of The Art of Memorialising? (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/the-art-of-memorialising-sponsorship) We highlight your product, service, or idea sponsoring an edition. We give you the space; you get to tell the world about what you are doing or have created. You and your business can become part of the adventure now (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/the-art-of-memorialising-sponsorship). Secure your month in 2022/23. MM’s (Memorialisation Morsels) 5 meaty bites of news for YOU to stay ahead of the conversation on Digital Legacy, Digital Life Curation & all things #Deathtech. 1 - Remember.Place - The World’s 1st Commemorative NFTs & Dedicated Memorial Metaverse The Metaverse is coming! What it will look like and how we will spend time working, being entertained, even socialising there, is in a state of creative evolution. One thing is for sure, it will encompass all of life … and increasingly death. Will remembering our loved ones in that virtual space do away with our need to have physical memorials for a loved one? Remember.Place (https://www.remember.place/) is creating commemorative Memorial Stone NFT’s. There are 5,000 one-of-a-kind stones. Each Memorial Stone is an original, delicately crafted artwork that provides you with a unique way to celebrate the story of your loved one. Check out a YouTube video here. (https://youtu.be/gUfyzjoI3h4) 2 - A Online Funeral For An Online Video Game - Really? (https://www.ruetir.com/2022/07/17/red-dead-online-has-died-and-rockstar-games-has-killed-it-i-return-to-the-wild-west-to-attend-the-funeral-of-an-old-friend/) Red Dead is a series of Western-themed action-adventure games published by Rockstar Games. As a reaction to the creator of the game failing to update it, the fans gathered for #RedDeadFuneral. What makes this interesting to me is mourning online has become the culture for a natural way of expressing loss. Fascinating how the community of gamers came together for the funeral posting condolences. I believe the step to mourn a loved one online will become as normal in the future. (via ruetir.com (http://ruetir.com)) Looks like the fans of Assassin’s Creed are planing something similar. (https://www.pcgamesn.com/assassin-s-creed-iii/funeral-online-servers) 3 - Can Digital Afterlife Practices Keep Us Connected To Our Dead? (https://medium.com/illumination/the-digital-afterlife-of-grief-bb12fa47ab8e) Ginger Liu, the CEO/Founder Ginger Media & Entertainment, asks the poignant question in the article The Digital Afterlife of Grief. (via Medium/Illumination (https://medium.com/illumination/the-digital-afterlife-of-grief-bb12fa47ab8e)) She notes, ‘Kubler-Ross developed stages of grief as a linear process that has an endpoint but this view is gradually being replaced by the continuing bonds approach as our connection with the dead has been immortalised in the digital world.’ The ‘Ethics of prolonging bereavement’ is a subject being studied, but how it will play out for us all in the coming decades is unknown. 4 - My House of Memories App - From Liverpool Museums (https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/house-of-memories/my-house-of-memories-app) The theme this month is storytelling online. So I’m grateful to Ginger Liu who mentioned, My House of Memories app in her piece above. She used it when caring or her mother dying Alzheimer’s disease. While not an after-death app, My House of Memories app has pictures of objects from across the decades, brought to life with sound, as an easy-to-use way to help people living with dementia explore things that resonate with them. What caught my eye about the app was the ‘My Memories’ feature. This enables users to upload their own photos to share precious personal memories with the people they care for living with dementia/Alzheimer’s. Stories stored in the last season of life. 5 - #Deathtech startup Willed raises $6 million (via smartcompany) (https://www.smartcompany.com.au/startupsmart/news/death-tech-startup-willed-raises-6-million/) ‘Death tech startups like Willed are disrupting a very traditional space by offering multiple services under one banner…’ says smartcompany. Following on June’s newsletter - Is Direct Cremation Disrupting The Legacy of Traditional Funerals in the UK Forever? (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com/p/is-direct-cremation-disrupting-the#details) - it seems it may also be the same in Australia. Online direct cremation (https://www.willed.com.au/cremations/) - funeral planning the simple, affordable way (https://www.willed.com.au/cremations/) on offer from Willed. Interesting both the $6m and adding funerals to a will company. Have You Found This Newsletter On Your Favourite Podcast App Yet? Thanks again for the support and feedback. I love hearing from you!Who do you know who would find this information interesting? Please, can you forward the email to them? I’d be very grateful. Let’s start a conversation - info@deathgoesdigital.com (mailto:info@deathgoesdigital.com) Until next month, keep safe, and keep going. Pete This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theartofmemorialising.substack.com (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

11. 

    6 Jul 2022

    Who Wants To Live Forever?

    How will you stay informed about digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation, and all things #Deathtech? Welcome to The Art of Memorialising - an audio newsletter by Peter Billingham (https://peterbillingham.com/) from Death Goes Digital (https://www.deathgoesdigital.com/) and Memorable Words Eulogy Writing services (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/eulogy-writing-services). The Art of Memorialising brings you the latest news on digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation and all things #Deathtech. Thanks for being here. Sponsoring this edition of The Art of Memorialising is 4everstory (https://4everstory.com/) A lifetime comprises a thousand stories. 4everstory (https://4everstory.com/) is a secure and private digital story platform. 4everstory (https://4everstory.com/) specialises in capturing digital memories and preserving special moments in a single and secure location. 4everstory (https://4everstory.com/) encourages sharing and connecting family memories, strengthening family bonds, and family traditions. It is a simple way to continue telling life stories. What Will You Find In This Issue? * Happy Birthday to The Art of Memorialising! * 16 reasons #Digital Legacy Has Come of Age In Last 12 Months * How you can ask ‘Alexa’ to get grandad to sing his favourite song! Photo by Adi Goldstein (https://unsplash.com/@adigold1?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on Unsplash (https://unsplash.com/collections/35258169/birthday-celebrate?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) Happy Birthday To Me! Well, to the newsletter, anyway! This edition marks one year of The Art of Memorialising. Twelve months of asking, how will we choose to live forever online? The actor Jeremy Irons wrote in his memoirs, ‘Our afterlife is what we leave behind in other people.’ Of course, that is true. But we can’t ignore what we leave behind online. Traces of our online lives will continue on long after we have died. Thank you for the feedback, encouragement and comments I have received. It lets me know you find the subject of #Deathtech as fascinating as I do. Over the last year I’ve reviewed many new ideas for how you can curate, store and tell the story of your life online. Started as a newsletter, back in December I added the option to listen via podcast to each episode. Here are some links to the main platforms where you can find the podcast. * Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/3I1xg5uP0gV9KLeSvVAgTV?si=7d5c0c7db37e4c52) * Amazon Music (https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/2d324a47-0a86-4b99-b00f-2c2fc83ed05c/the-art-of-memorialising---audio-newsletter) * Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-art-of-memorialising-audio-newsletter/id1607673367) What has been exciting for me to see is the creativity, innovation and breadth of ways #Deathtech is developing. Above all, seeing how AI can ‘keep alive’ those we love has been the most fascinating. Yes, some ideas seem spooky and weird to me too! As the mainstream catches up with the culture of change, new ideas appear and some will fall by the wayside, but one thing is for sure, in the next 12 months the pace will only speed up! Startup Spotlights Want to check out some Startups profiled? June - Webacy (https://www.webacy.com/) & Chronicle (https://chronicle.rip/) February - Timecapzle (https://beta.timecapzle.com/) and Legacy Stories (https://www.legacystories.com/) December - Vocapsule (https://www.vocapsule.ai/) and Re-cordis (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com/p/Re-cordis) November - Mind Bank AI (https://www.mindbank.ai/) & Hearafter AI (https://www.hereafter.ai/) October - Live Will (https://livewill.app/) & Lantern (https://www.lantern.co/) September - Whiteballoon (https://www.whiteballoon.co.uk/) & Shared Affairs (https://sharedaffairs.com/) August - After Cloud (https://myaftercloud.com/) & Cake (https://www.joincake.com/welcome/) July - GoodTrust (https://mygoodtrust.com/) & Memories (https://memories.net/) Heard of a startup in digital life curation or #Deathtech? Please let me know. Email info@ (mailto:info@deathgoesdigital.com)deathgoesdigital.com Sponsored Product or Service - 4everstory (https://4everstory.com/) There is nothing worse than an untold family story lost forever. We forget valuable old photographs and family movies stored away in boxes. Memories fade. Every year, thousands of digital images and videos stored on smart phones are accidentally deleted or misplaced. Increasingly, family history is lost because family stories are no longer shared. Parents or grandparents are no longer here to tell their stories. So what is the solution? John Withers, the Australian founder of 4everstory (https://4everstory.com/), has announced that its secure and private web-based digital story platform is now available. As life becomes increasingly complex and digital, so has the interest to create unique permanent online spaces. Now it is easy to create tribute experiences rich in mixed media content. These can be collectively shared with family and friends anywhere in the world to create a wider sense of connection. 4everstory (https://4everstory.com/) creates lasting, meaningful, and dynamic digital narratives that connect lives today and tomorrow. John Withers and Martin Christmas are IT technologists who work to make digital experiences more personal and emotional. John and Martin passionately believe that everyone has a story to share, and created this product to honour and cherish the lives of their loved ones. Interested in sharing your new product or service with readers of The Art of Memorialising? (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/the-art-of-memorialising-sponsorship) (check here) We highlight your product, service, or idea sponsoring an edition. We give you the space; you get to tell the world about what you are doing or have created. You and your business can become part of the adventure now (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/the-art-of-memorialising-sponsorship). Secure your month in 2022/23 now. MM’s (Memorialisation Morsels) 5 meaty bites of news for YOU to stay ahead of the conversation on Digital Legacy, Digital Life Curation & all things #Deathtech. 1 - Will We Fear Death Less In The Future Metaverse? (https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/urban-survival/202206/how-will-death-exist-in-the-metaverse-and-web3) How Will Death Exist in the Metaverse and Web3? (https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/urban-survival/202206/how-will-death-exist-in-the-metaverse-and-web3) (Via Psychology Today) is worth a read on the question of how digital technology could help in dealing with grief and bereavement in the future by experiencing death in the virtual worlds of the coming metaverse and video games. 2 - How Alexa Could Soon Be Impersonating The Voice of a Love One? (https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/23/23179748/amazon-alexa-feature-mimic-voice-dead-relative-ai) This month Amazon revealed it is working on an Alexa feature which mimics the voice of a dead users relative. (Via The Verge) The experimental feature could see you asking Alexa to get grandad to read a bedtime story, or even sing his favourite song using an AI voice. No date is set when this is being released. But with only 60 seconds of recorded audio needed to mimic the voice, I don’t think the idea is going away just yet. Creepy or helpful? What do you think? 3 - Living Forever Online Is Not Optional - Are You Ready? (https://www.morningbrew.com/daily/stories/2022/07/01/your-digital-self-will-outlive-you) Your digital self will outlive you! Warns Amanda Hoover in a deep read about leaving traces of our lives behind online. (via Morning Brew) Following the ten-year battle one family had to access the accounts of a deceased sibling, Hoover asks the poignant question: Do you even want your family potentially reading every DM or email you’ve sent? Well… do you? It’s not just the worry of privacy, however much a valid concern, it’s the potential of fraud and protecting identities online just as much. 4 - Want To Go And Visit Your Dead Relatives For A Chat? (https://www.koreatechdesk.com/korean-startup-deepbrain-ai-launches-service-to-digitally-immortalize-deceased-loved-ones/) Which leads nicely into a Korean startup DeepBrain AI launching a service to ‘digitally immortalise’ deceased loved ones. (Via KoreaTechDesk) Re;memory is a B2C service for people to keep the healthy memories of their elderly parents forever as AI humans. The platform allows to develop human faces, voices, and expressions by mimicking every aspect of the person. Following a ‘sitting’ with the real person, video recording movements, and voice data, the family can visit and see the AI person for 30 minutes at a time - forever. 5 - 12 Months of resources - free! Interested in accessing past issues of the newsletter? Full of the fascinating, future world of #DigitalLegacy and #Deathtech - from the mind-blowing to the downright creepy, the last 12 months have seen it all. Please enjoy! - At Last - Have These Ideas Come of Age? (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com/p/do-ideas-come-of-age) - Who Else Wants To Be Remembered Forever? (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com/p/i-was-ere) - How To Use The Memorial Power of Music In A Story (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com/p/music-and-memories) - This Is No Time To Die - Or Is It? (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com/p/no-time-to-die-or-is-it) - Who Else Wants To Live Forever? (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com/p/who-else-wants-to-live-forever) - Now Hear A Loved One’s Voice Forever (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com/p/now-hear-your-loved-ones-voice-forever#details) - Which Is Better, New Year Resolutions or New Year Intentions? (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com/p/which-is-better-new-year-resolutions#details) - Now The Dead Can Talk Back - How Do We Respond When They Do? (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com/p/now-the-dead-can-talk-back-how-do%23details) - Have You Reserved Your Plot in Facebook's Cemetery? (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com/p/have-you-reserved-your-plot-in-facebooks%23details) - How Will They Remember You? A Plaque Under A Tree or As A Digital Clone? (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com/p/how-will-they-remember-you-a-plaque%23details) - How To Keep Telling Your Life Story Even After It Ends (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com/p/how-to-keep-telling-your-life-story%23details) - Is Direct Cremation Disrupting The Legacy of Traditional Funerals in the UK Forever? (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com/p/is-direct-cremation-disrupting-the%23details) Thanks again for the support and feedback. Who do you know who would find this information interesting? Please, can you forward the email to them? I’d be very grateful. Let’s start a conversation - info@deathgoesdigital.com (mailto:info@deathgoesdigital.com) Until next month, keep safe, and keep going. Pete This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theartofmemorialising.substack.com (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

12. 

    11 Jun 2022

    Is Direct Cremation Disrupting The Legacy of Traditional Funerals in the UK Forever?

    How will you stay informed about digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation, and all things #Deathtech? Welcome to The Art of Memorialising - an audio newsletter by Peter Billingham from Death Goes Digital (https://www.deathgoesdigital.com/) and Memorable Words Eulogy Writing services (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/eulogy-writing-services). The Art of Memorialising brings you the latest news on digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation and all things #Deathtech. Thanks for being here. What Will You Find In This Issue? * The 10 Best Ways To Die. * Fed up with playing Monopoly? Try ‘The Death Convo Game’ instead! * Do You Fancy Living Eternally In The Metaverse On Your Own Planet? * Start up spotlights on Webacy and Chronicle. Photo by Ross Findon (https://unsplash.com/@rossf?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on Unsplash (https://unsplash.com/s/photos/change?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) Is Direct Cremation Disrupting The Legacy of Traditional Funerals in the UK Forever? Transformational change is coming to the funeral industry in the UK, and fast. Will other countries follow funeral trends disrupting the UK marketplace? Are they already? Will this pace of change increase as families choose personalisation over tradition? How could this impact you as a traditional funeral director or funeral home? Let’s dig a big deeper and see. Funerals have changed little in centuries. The traditional format of black frock coats, black hearse, and funeral services matching the same format and even the same words (insert name here) from the Book of Common Prayer has seemed the only option. But a secularised society saw the move away from churches and burials, to crematoriums and cremations. Yet for a time, the traditional funeral service stayed, but not so these days. The times have changed forever. How, you might ask? Back in 2015, Bryan Powell, a Funeral Director, and his wife Catherine, decided the funeral market was looking for something new, something that could suit the demand for personalisation and choice. Yes, price too was a factor. The increase in the cost of funerals in an unregulated industry was an issue for many families. So together they launched Pure Cremation (https://www.purecremation.co.uk/) with a plan to disrupt the industry. They certainly succeed. Synonymous with the word ‘vacuum’ is Hoover. We use the one for the other so much it’s become part of the vocabulary of life. In the UK today, it is the same with Pure Cremation and direct cremation. Let me explain. Direct cremation is, in the most part, an unattended cremation. This leaves the family of the loved one with perhaps the option to arrange a memorial service at a favourite woods, a beach, even the golf club where they spent so many happy hours. Families in the UK are contacting funeral directors asking, ‘Do you do Pure Cremations?’ Mainly because of the multi-million advertising budgets Pure Cremation successfully spends in daytime TV and magazine advertising. One national Independent Funeral Directors Association (https://saif.org.uk/why-join-saif/diamond-partnership/) suggests many consumers do not think Independent Funeral Directors even conduct direct/unattended cremations, and 77% of customers don’t contact them to even ask! Going to online suppliers instead. That’s worrying for lots of traditional funeral directors who may see future business disappearing online. Around 1 in 5 funerals, choose direct cremation. Partly because of the pandemic, 2021 saw a dramatic increase in the choice of a direct cremation. ‘And among those who organised a funeral in the last 18 months (during the pandemic), 24% described the funeral as a direct cremation.’ (From Cost of dying Report 2022 - Sun Life) (https://www.sunlife.co.uk/siteassets/documents/cost-of-dying/cost-of-dying-report.pdf/) They predicted the market for direct cremation to become a growing trend of UK's funeral choice. The ripples of that change will have significant impact for the industry changing it forever. Of course, there will always be the demand for a traditional funeral. They can be a beautiful way to remember and celebrate the life of a loved one. But change, and that change digital, and online, is coming fast. This opens tremendous opportunities for those in the end-of-life marketplace who can adapt and change. Hold on… change is coming - fast! But how does your end-of-life business need to respond? Startup Spotlights Webacy - helps you protect your crypto assets and social media accounts. (https://www.webacy.com/) It’s a similar story and a familiar journey for many entrepreneurs facing personal loss. Maika Isogawa, founder and CEO of Webacy, looked for a better solution to the challenges he experienced when a member of his family passed away. Facing the complexity of digital legacy planning with multiple social media accounts and crypto assets, Webacy simplifies the process. What does Webacy (https://www.webacy.com/)offer? * Deletion of your social media accounts on death. (If that is your choice.) * Memorialising your accounts, even posting time sequenced content online after your death. * Transferring crypto assets to those nominated. * Creating a ‘Shoebox’ - a place to store your memories (photos and videos) and thoughts for your generations who follow. * DeathNotify™ - the simplest and most straightforward way to notify a death. Chronicle - Digital Cemetery Management Software (https://chronicle.rip/) Thanks to the team at Chronicle (https://chronicle.rip/) for introducing me to their new software for cemetery management. Unaware of the challenges as most cemeteries still keep paper records of the location of burial plots within a graveyard, Chronicle not only brings organisation and speed to finding a loved one’s resting place, but gives an online presence to engage widely with society. Founder and CEO Matthew Borowski started the company after finding it very difficult to locate the grave of a friend. Cemeteries are the historical background of communities. I’m often quoting Margaret Atwood’s words - ‘In the end, we'll all become stories.’ Now Chronicle offers a way for those stories to be told. Here’s an example of how it works. Visit Beechworth Cemetery in Australia and you can find a plaque remembering Jacob Hoffmann. You would know little of the story of his life from the words and numbers on his tombstone. But what a story his life tells! At 17 in 1864, Jacob left Germany and travelled to America and served in the American Army. Want to know what else happened? You can read it HERE.  (https://map.chronicle.rip/beechworth-cemetery/plots/PB%20A%20533?from=map&zoom=24) Thanks to Matthew and the team for letting me know about Chronicle. Best wishes and all success for your project! Heard of a startup in digital life curation or #Deathtech? Please let me know. Email info@deathgoesdigital.com (mailto:info@deathgoesdigital.com) Sponsored Product or Service Interested in sharing your new product or service with readers of The Art of Memorialising? (check here) (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/the-art-of-memorialising-sponsorship/newsletter-sponsorship) We highlight your product, service, or idea sponsoring an edition. We give you the space; you get to tell the world about what you are doing or have created. You and your business can become part of the adventure now. Secure your month in 2022/23 now.  (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/the-art-of-memorialising-sponsorship/newsletter-sponsorship) MM’s (Memorialisation Morsels) 5 meaty bites of news for YOU to stay ahead of the conversation on Digital Legacy, Digital Life Curation & all things #Deathtech. 1 - Uploading Your Memories to the Metaverse: Now your legacy can be eternal. (https://www.lifestoryapp.com/) It is said they forget us after three generations! I don’t like to think about that - but it’s probably correct. Or is it? Ready to blast off into eternity with plans to be remembered forever? Read on. Lifestory (https://www.lifestoryapp.com/) is a metaverse project. With Lifestory, you can upload photos, videos, and written stories about your life. You can also choose to have your Lifestory shared with specific people or made public for the world to see. OK, that’s not so novel these days. But Lifestory (https://www.lifestoryapp.com/) is a first-of-its-kind project letting people tell their story in the metaverse with a collection of 5,555  unique NFT planets where you can document their memories in the Lifeverse. Memories as stored as nonfungible tokens (NFTs). If that’s isn’t a bit confusing for most, hang on! You can land on these planets in a user’s spaceship! Confused? Intrigued? Read - Creating A Lasting Legacy With LifeStory (https://news.bitcoin.com/creating-a-lasting-legacy-with-lifestory-leave-a-trace-of-yourself-behind/) (via Bitcoin.com) or watch the YouTube video for more details (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUqWGeULzyB03D5ZxuTYaJA)ready to blast off into eternity! 2 - Are We Getting Used To The Idea The Dead Will Always Be With Us - Digitally? (https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/digital-life-after-death/) Opening with the perfect quote by George Elliot - “Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them,” Alice Hinds writes an excellent article (via The Sunday Post) - More ghosts in the machines as legacy pixels create digital life after death. (https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/digital-life-after-death/) The insightful and in-depth piece considers many ethical and moral questions about the impact on grief, bereavement and dealing with the loss of a loved one in a digital age. She highlights Elaine Kasket’s book, and also a new fiction novel by Sophie Cameron - Our Sister Again (https://littletiger.co.uk/product/our-sister-again). With advancements in how we can ‘feel’ in AI, some developments could be beyond even our current imagination. Well worth the read. 3 - Interested in playing The Death Convo Game - Let’s Talk About Death? (https://game.bereev.com/) Labelled as Asia’s 1st Death Preparation App - Bereev (https://bereev.com/) users create a central plan in preparation of death whatever stage of their life. Bereev Founder and CEO, Izumi Inoue, said, ‘Bereev provides a pathway for the end-of-life journey, and takes the stress away from those who need to pick up the pieces after we’ve left. When you’re grieving, it’s incredibly difficult to make major decisions, so we’re removing that burden.’ In May, Bereev launched The Death Convo Game. (https://www.cnet.com/culture/the-app-that-helps-prepare-you-for-death/) (via CNET.com) A world-first death conversation game to unlock the unspoken questions about dying. For 45 days starting in May 2022 - they offered the world the chance to talk about death, though answering 45 questions. 1000s are taking part. It will be interesting to see if they publish the answers. 4 - What Are The 10 Best Ways To Die? (According to a hospice staff) (https://www.keech.org.uk/news-media/top-10-best-ways-to-die/) In a viral post doing the rounds in May, the care staff at Keech Hospice Care (https://www.keech.org.uk/news-media/top-10-best-ways-to-die/), an adult and children’s hospice in Luton, UK, racked up over 30,000 views across social media. A few years ago, a palliative nurse, Bronnie Ware, became a best-selling author with The Top Five Regrets of the Dying. (And no… bungee jumps were not one of them!) The post gives 10 practical and wise actions to take for those of us who one day will die. And that’s pretty much all of us, I think! 5 - Ditched By The Dragons in the Den - Scotland’s Biscuit Tin Digital Legacy Plan Gains A New Powerful Partnership With The Scottish Building Society (https://scottishbusinessnews.net/scottish-building-society-boosts-member-benefits-through-strategic-partnership-with-scottish-start-up/) The Scottish Building Society has launched a new partnership with a digital legacy vault and planning tool, Biscuit Tin. (via Scottishbusinessnews.net) They will offer it free to its members for the first three months after they sign up. Watching the developments at GoodTrust, one of the major players in the #digitallegacy market building strategic partnerships for onboarding clients, it seems Sheila Hogan of Biscuit Tin is doing the same - despite the snub from the Dragons. Congratulations Shelia! Who do you know who would find this information interesting? Please, can you forward the email to them? I’d be very grateful. Let’s start a conversation. Email me now at info@deathgoesdigital.com Until next month, keep safe, and keep going. Pete This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theartofmemorialising.substack.com (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

13. 

    5 May 2022

    How To Keep Telling Your Life Story Even After It Ends

    What can you do to stay informed about digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation, and all things #Deathtech? Being ahead in this changing marketplace and cultural transformation could help you spot trends and find opportunities to promote and grow your end-of-life or funeral business. Welcome to The Art of Memorialising - an audio newsletter by Peter Billingham from Death Goes Digital (https://www.deathgoesdigital.com/) and Memorable Words Eulogy Writing services. (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/eulogy-writing-services) The Art of Memorialising curates news on digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation and all things #Deathtech. Thanks for being here. What Will You Find In This Issue? * How ‘Digital Heritage’ storytelling keeps our lost loved one close. * When technology and entertainment collide, do you get - ‘Upload?’ * How using 30 4K cameras could immortalise your grandpa. Photo by Jessica Lewis (https://unsplash.com/@jessicalewiscreative?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on Unsplash (https://unsplash.com/s/photos/vr-headset?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) And They All Lived Happily Ever After In Virtual Reality. Or Did They? ‘In the end, we’ll all become stories.’ Margaret Atwood. Once upon a time. That’s how most stories start. And they all lived happily ever after. Perhaps they don’t always end that way. Margaret Atwood was spot on - we all become a story someone will tell. Increasingly, however, there will be a choice for who tells the tale of a life. Let me explain. In this edition of The Art of Memorialising, we look at how telling the story of your life as you live it, and after you have died, is undergoing transformational change. Why? The rise of AI avatars will allow you to see your grandparents, parents and other loved ones telling their own life stories long after they have died, speaking directly to you through VR immersive experiences. Imagine now being able to ‘see and hear’ your grandpa walking around the towns he lived in, the places he went on holiday and locations where he worked? Hear him say, ‘Come with me. Let me show you where your grandpa proposed to your grandma!’ The transformational change in creating personal biographies and memoirs will keep our loved ones and their memories alive in ways we haven’t experienced before. But is a good thing? Is the adage of, ‘A time to be born and a time to die’ no longer needed? Will your dwelling in digital immortality be helpful to those still mortally alive? I started Death Goes Digital in 2016. Then discussions and thoughts of ‘Digital Legacy’ focused on, ‘What happens to your Facebook account after you die?’ The concerns mainly on what will happen to the online traces of your life, your bank accounts and social media profiles, etc., after death. That hasn’t changed, but there is now much more. While protecting our digital estate when we are dead is important, what is far more fascinating is what is revolutionising culture around biography and memoir writing. How we can choose to tell and remember the story of our lives while we are living? So what’s happening? I see developing the growth of a ‘digital heritage.’ It’s a term being used in Japan. I like it more than, ‘Are you protecting your digital assets when you’re dead?’ A ‘Digital Heritage’ sounds creative, proactive and inspiring choices to leave more than just the password of mobile phone behind. Writing several eulogies each week constantly reminds me life ends often before it gets to the ‘happily ever after’ part. Yet, each life is full of special moments, sometimes missed, often forgotten. Remembering to gather and record those special elements of the story of a life inspired me to write the book - Gathering Rosebuds In Kerala (https://amzn.to/3vGSNer). Published this month, my book is a memoir about a birthday trip I took to India. But more than that, it’s a reflection on ageing, and how we might remember the story of our life. A workbook for noticing and capturing those special moments in life and storing them forever. What will be the story you tell about your life? Who and how will that story be told in the generations to come? Will it be you as a 3D hologram, an AI avatar, or even a ‘Versona?’ Read on, see what you think, and let me know. I’d love to hear what you think. Please let me know. Email info@ (mailto:info@deathgoesdigital.com)deathgoesdigital.com (deathgoesdigital.com) Startup Spotlights Heard of a startup in digital life curation or #Deathtech? Please let me know. Email info@ (mailto:info@deathgoesdigital.com)deathgoesdigital.com (deathgoesdigital.com) MM’s (Memorialisation Morsels) 5 meaty bites of news for YOU to stay ahead of the conversation on Digital Legacy, Digital Life Curation & all things #Deathtech. 1 - Will Cybernetic Immortality Lead To Living Happily Ever After? Science fiction becoming reality is not a surprise. Tasers, defibrillators, mobile phones, and 3D holograms captured our curiosity in books, films and tv long before they became commonplace in culture. When developing science and technology becomes entertainment, it gives us clues for forecasting the future. Could ‘Upload,’ the new Amazon Prime series, be such an example? Set in 2033, Nathan Brown, a computer programmer, dies when his self-driving car crashes, and uploaded to a luxurious digital afterlife called Lakeview. (Seems now death has status levels as well it seems!) I haven’t watched the series yet, but the article from Georgi Boorman via The Federalist (https://thefederalist.com/2022/04/14/upload-season-2-reveals-why-seeking-digital-immortality-will-leave-people-lonely-and-miserable/) is an interesting perspective on the series and life in Cybernetic Immortality. 2 - For Sale - Eternal life. (Well virtual to start) (https://www.vice.com/en/article/pkp47y/metaverse-company-to-offer-immortality-through-live-forever-mode) If you think ‘Upload’ is stretching the ‘fiction’ of science fiction into reality a bit too far, then Somnium Space may change your mind and open your eyes. (https://www.vice.com/en/article/pkp47y/metaverse-company-to-offer-immortality-through-live-forever-mode) (via vice.com (vice.com)) Somnium Space is a Virtual Reality world built on the block chain where users can purchase digital land, build homes and buildings, start businesses, offer concerts and live events. Somnium Space offers a way for people to buy digital immortality in its ‘Live Forever’ mode.  (https://www.vice.com/en/article/pkp47y/metaverse-company-to-offer-immortality-through-live-forever-mode) As is often the story, Somnium Space CEO and founder Artur Sychov experienced the loss of a loved one. Discovering his father was terminally ill, he turned his entrepreneurial and creative imagination into action. Realising his young children wouldn’t connect with their grandfather, he imagined a VR existence where within minutes you wouldn’t know you were talking to an AI avatar and not your deceased loved one. Even to the way they move, after teaming up with full body VR suit designer - Teslasuit. For a detailed read into the thoughts of many writers about trans-humanism - (via TheBigThink) - Can we Upload Consciousness? Mind Uploading Can We Become Immortal? (https://bigthink.com/neuropsych/can-humans-be-immortal/) 3 - The Future of Memoir Storytelling - StoryTerrace VR Biographies Famed for the ‘Dragons Den’ investment into the art of life storytelling and memoir writing, StoryTerrace is a personal biography creator. Matching clients with local writers, through a series of interviews, conversations and edits, they create and publish beautifully bound and illustrated memoirs. Over the last two years, they have been developing a partnership with 8i to create the first Virtual Reality biographies. Combing all their elements of storytelling, they are adding the immersive experience of seeing loved ones speak out their personal histories in the metaverse. Thirty 4K cameras create a 3D hologram placed into recognisable locations and even into home videos and photos. Watch the process on this video. (https://youtu.be/RfZjlCJVXik) (via hyperbeast (https://hypebeast.com/2022/4/storyterrace-vr-create-personal-biographies) and a link from my daughter -thanks!) 4 - YOV - Holding On To ‘The Essence of Loved One Forever.’ Imagine never having to say goodbye to someone you love - even after they have died. That is the vision and life mission of Justin Harrison. By 2025, he aims to give millions the opportunity to ‘save the essence’ of a loved one by creating a ‘Versona.’ (via Cheyenne MacDonald on Input) (https://www.myyov.com/yov-news/he-made-a-chatbot-of-his-dying-mother-so-he-never-has-to-let-go) The twin catalysts of a near death experience, and finding out his mother Melodi had stage-4 cancer, collided into the quest to find the answer to the question, ‘How can you hold on to life for those facing death?’ What if I don’t want to let go of those I love? YOV - ‘You, Only Virtual’ results from two years of work. It is a communication portal to those who have died. As the website declares (https://www.myyov.com/) - ‘Transformative communications for a transformative future - the story of a life need never end.’ With YOV you can - text, call, use visual calling to communicate with a lost loved one by developing a ‘Versona.’ A way of storing the ‘very essence’ of the loved one permanently. Through AR (augmented reality), see your loved one with you in their favourite park, or sitting with you at the cinema. For a one fee of $199 USD and monthly fee of $39.99 - now you can ‘truly never say goodbye.’ Justin is a filmmaker, and the story told in the video promoting YOV on YouTube shows you how good a storyteller he is! (https://youtu.be/Y974JzAV158) 5. 4everstory (https://4everstory.com/) - Capturing and Remembering Family Stories Feeling the immense loss and sadness of losing a loved one, 4everstory (https://4everstory.com/) founder John Withers, wanted to find a way to capture and remember precious memories. But not only for himself, he wanted to create the opportunity for every family to tell their life story. 4everstory (https://4everstory.com/) offers ways to create, remember, and celebrate a life online. ‘A lifetime is made of a thousand stories. Keep yours alive forever.’ We can keep even the memory of our pets safe for all time. You get to choose to honour a loved one or tell your story as you live it. So one day, your family can read, watch and listen as well. Check out - Here’s To The Storytellers Video (https://youtu.be/dlN8z4mHufw) Sponsored Product or Service Interested in sharing your new product or service with readers of The Art of Memorialising? (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/the-art-of-memorialising-sponsorship) (check here) We highlight your product, service, or idea sponsoring an edition. We give you the space; you get to tell the world about what you are doing or have created. You and your business can become part of the adventure now (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/the-art-of-memorialising-sponsorship). Secure your month in 2022/23 now. Snippets And finally, it wouldn’t be an edition of The Art of Memorialising if I didn’t mention GoodTrust (https://mygoodtrust.com/) again. I might add, there is no affiliate link here, yet…! Rikard Steiber, GoodTrust CEO and founder has announced on National Pet Day another partnership (https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/on-national-pet-day-goodtrust-and-trupanion-partner-to-help-protect-our-faithful-friends-301522463.html) with Trupanion (https://trupanion.com), a leader in medical insurance for pets. Proving GoodTrust is a creative digital-legacy pioneer dedicated to solving the problem of what happens to our online accounts and assets, including our pets (https://mygoodtrust.com/pet-directive), when we die. —— Who do you know who would find this information interesting? Please, can you forward the email to them? I’d be very grateful. Let’s start a conversation - info@deathgoesdigital.com (mailto:info@deathgoesdigital.com) Until next month, keep safe, and keep going. Pete This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theartofmemorialising.substack.com (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

14. 

    4 Apr 2022

    How Will They Remember You? A Plaque Under A Tree or As A Digital Clone?

    What can you do to stay informed about digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation, and all things #Deathtech? Being ahead in this changing marketplace and cultural transformation could help you spot trends and find opportunities to promote and grow your end-of-life or funeral business. Welcome to The Art of Memorialising - an audio newsletter by Peter Billingham from Death Goes Digital (https://www.deathgoesdigital.com/) and Memorable Words Eulogy Writing services. (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/eulogy-writing-services) The Art of Memorialising curates news on digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation and all things #Deathtech. Thanks for being here. Memorable Words Eulogy Writing Services (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/eulogy-writing-services) is sponsoring this month’s edition. Memorable Words eulogy writing services (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/eulogy-writing-services) take thoughts and precious memories of your loved one, and then craft them into unique and individual eulogy story celebrating and honouring their life. What Will You Find In This Issue? * Two examples of the funeral industry seeing and taking opportunities to add digital legacy planning packages to funerals as an additional up sale point. * Why digital legacy planning is critical and the heartbreaking challenges families face dealing with a loved one’s digital estate without it. This is why the industry is going to grow exponentially in the future? * Deep questions about the ‘who’ we might become online long after we have died. How Will They Remember You? A Plaque Under A Tree or As A Digital Clone? The blossom on the large cherry tree overlooking the pond in my local park is magnificent this year. An explosive mass of pink petals, bursting with a promise - Spring is finally here. The blossom display is brief, lasts a couple of weeks at most, less if the wind and the rain rip the precious blooms from the branches. At the foot of this tree, there is a simple square brass plaque. I see it every day when I walk in the park with my dog. It is always there. I don’t believe it will ever it disappear. Sometimes I stand under the cherry tree and remember my friend, pausing a while when the branches are heavy with pink flowers. ‘For Shelagh - who loved this park to walk her dog remembered by her dog walking friends.’ Says the words on the plaque. Shelagh had a cheeky, raucous laugh. Someone once wrote, ‘Laughter is the sound of the soul dancing.’ If that’s so, Shelagh’s soul must have been a bit like Ginger Rogers. She was slight in stature and wise in nature. A quip here, a joke there, and a poignant reflection occasionally. I enjoyed walking with her and the regular 8:30 a.m. dog walking crew. You could have set your clocks by us. Shelagh began to limp. It didn’t go away. The diagnosis was brutal. The cancer in her spine was terminal. Brave as could be, with six months’ life expectancy, she had a living funeral. ‘I want to hear all the lovely things you are going to say about me!’ She declared. And we did. Shelagh passed away only a couple of days after the most memorable of nights of celebrating her life. I’ll never forget her dancing in a wheelchair with her husband that night. A few weeks after she had passed away, with the other dog walking friends, we all stood around a large hole, ready to plant a small cherry tree in the park. It was in a beautiful spot overlooking the pond. At the side was a large mound of earth. At the call of some unseen, unheard, but direct command, starting with Shelagh’s black Labrador, the dogs ceremoniously cocked a leg or squatted on the earth, leaving the sort of tribute only a dog can leave in that moment! I said a few words to remember our friend Shelagh. Each spring, looking up in the beautiful blossom on her tree, I remember one brave woman. As part of researching a new book, I’m asking what makes a life memorable? Really, what can we do to live a memorable life? Then, how should we remember a life? Would you prefer a digital clone, a ‘avatar’ of you immortal online, or how about a brass plaque in the park? I’ve spent probably more hours online than in the park walking my dog for sure. But I’m thinking a brass plaque would be my choice. When the day comes, and they remember your life, what’s your choice? Please write and let me know what you think make a life memorable? And - how would you want your life to be remembered? You can email me at info@deathgoesdigital.com (mailto:info@deathgoesdigital.com) —— Startup Spotlights Heard of a startup in digital life curation or #Deathtech? Please let me know. Email info@deathgoesdigital.com (mailto:info@deathgoesdigital.com) —— Sponsored Product Memorable Words Memorable Words Eulogy Writing Services (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/eulogy-writing-services) The heartbreaking sadness many families faced losing a loved one through COVID, in lockdown, and being unable to attend their funeral through national restrictions or the location of the funeral. It was not the way many people needed or wanted to say farewell to a loved one. As a eulogy writer, I’m finding several families now are asking me to write eulogies for memorial services. The funeral may have taken place in 2020 or 2021. But now, by the side of a lake, in a favourite wood, even in a back garden, families are gathering to remember loved ones. Having a bespoke eulogy written to celebrate that life helps to read out on that day. Can I help someone you know plan a eulogy for a memorial service? I offer three eulogy writing packages (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/eulogy-writing-services), starting at £147. Full Disclosure - Memorable Words is my business. Apart from editing this newsletter and website, I write and deliver eulogies for families across the world. Interested in sharing your new product or service with readers of The Art of Memorialising? (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/the-art-of-memorialising-sponsorship) We highlight your product, service, or idea sponsoring an edition. We give you the space; you get to tell the world about what you are doing or have created. You and your business can become part of the adventure now (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/the-art-of-memorialising-sponsorship). Secure your month in 2022/23 now. Memorialisation Morsels 5 meaty bites of news for YOU to stay ahead of the conversation on Digital Legacy, Digital Life Curation & all things #Deathtech. 1 - Will Funeral Directors and Funeral Businesses Make Extra Income From Selling Digital Legacy Packages Now? EverArk (https://www.everark.io/) believes they can. Launched at the recent The International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA) Convention & Expo, EverArk (https://www.everark.io/) is a supplier of cemetery management software. Reading the press release (https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/everark-revolutionizes-cemetery-management-with-new-software-301507977.html) (via PR Newswire (https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/everark-revolutionizes-cemetery-management-with-new-software-301507977.html)), the software has many distinct features, but it was the addition of Digital Legacy Packages (via an app) to promote sales, which was interesting. EverArk has a single and family package that cemeteries can upsell to customers and earn money on each sale. The minimum price is $299 and $499, respectively. “No other cemetery management software offers a digital product that allows a cemetery to sell and earn money,” EverArk CEO Greg Marmulak said in the press release. Could this be a trend and business opportunity for other aspects of the funeral industry in the future? It appears so - read on! 2 - How Does Partnering With A Digital Legacy Provider Offer Practical Help For Families and Profits For Funeral Businesses? Taking the step to partner with GoodTrust, Darling and Fischer, a funeral home in California is now offering the services of a Digital Executor via GoodTrust. (via Yahoo Finance (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/darling-fischer-goodtrust-offer-clients-130000427.html)) “We are excited to be partnering with GoodTrust (https://mygoodtrust.com/) and offer all of our at-need families the opportunity to secure their loved one’s digital legacy forever and give them peace of mind,” said Nicholas J. Welzenbach, Managing Partner at Darling & Fischer. It seems as if GoodTrust is leading the way in these partnering relationships. Another funeral technology software company, eFuneral (https://www.partner.efuneral.com/), announced a similar launch (https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/efuneral-and-goodtrust-partner-to-boost-funeral-homes-sales-with-new-digital-end-of-life-solutions-301505739.html) and partnership. (via PR Newswire (https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/efuneral-and-goodtrust-partner-to-boost-funeral-homes-sales-with-new-digital-end-of-life-solutions-301505739.html)) I wonder who might take a similar lead in the UK? 3 - So, Just How Complex Is The Reality of Dealing With A Digital Estate? Catherine Mayer understands how hard it can be to deal with a loved one’s digital assets. When her husband, Andy Gill, guitarist from the band Gang Of Four, died in 2020, his death trended on Twitter. Getting hold of his digital assets and accounts has been an uphill battle. She speaks about her experiences and what she’s learned from them on a fascinating panel discussion podcast. The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales - (ICAEW) - podcast discussed ‘Death and digital assets.’ (https://www.icaew.com/insights/podcast/death-and-digital-assets) Truly insightful panel discussion highlighting the genuine issues families face dealing with the online accounts of a deceased relative or loved one. You can read the transcript here. (https://www.icaew.com/insights/podcast/death-and-digital-assets/transcript) 4 - Will Digital Clones Become The Epitome of Our Life as a Work of Art? From an academic viewpoint, Professor of Social Epistemology, Steve Fuller from Warwick University (https://social-epistemology.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/fuller_digital_clones_3-14-2022.pdf), asks if the self-archiving of our lives online is driven by some desire to leave a legacy of followers while alive and possibly dead? Will we design and create a masterpiece of our digital self online, different from the reality of who we are? That happens now. How much of the filtered, touched up images online are the truth self? The growth of AI powered software to create a digital twin or digital avatar brings opportunities and moral questions we have not had to ask before. Fuller suggests it is useful to think of the digital avatar as a being who starts as a clone of the biological human, but then over time develops its own digitally based experiences so that it effectively becomes a different being. Really? Now that presents all kinds of deep questions about ‘who really is the digital avatar?’ Will the real digital clone online stand up? Fuller, Steve. 2022. “Digital Clones as the Epitome of Life as a Work of Art.” Social Epistemology Review and Reply Collective (https://social-epistemology.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/fuller_digital_clones_3-14-2022.pdf) 5 - Would You Like To Contribute Your Input Into The Digital Death Survey 2022? The purpose of the Digital Death Survey (https://siena.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0CIxGjvZACAo13E) is to better understand how the internet and technology are changing societies’ attitudes and needs around death, care planning and bereavement. This leading survey was started in 2014 by the Digital Legacy Association (UK). In recent years, the research has received further support from Dr. Carla Sofka of Siena College (https://www.siena.edu/faculty-and-staff/person/carla-sofka/) (USA). A secondary purpose of the digital death survey is to educate participants about this emerging area. Data will be aggregated and made available for free on the Digital Legacy Association’s website (https://digitallegacyassociation.org/), explained at professional conferences and/or workshops, and potentially published in journal articles or books. (Link open until May 1st) Snippets * After watching Jensen Haung, the CEO of NVIDIA, keynote address, Rob Enderle poses some interesting questions about the development of digital immortality with AI avatars (https://www.computerworld.com/article/3655068/nvidia-gtc-building-the-digital-you.html). It’s not that far off our digital avatar could still keep working long after we have died! Who gets the salary then? * Digital Devices (Access for Next of Kin) Bill - UK - 2nd Reading Took Place - A second reading will happen 6th May 2022. —— Who do you know who would find this information interesting? Please, can you forward the email to them? I’d be very grateful. Let’s start a conversation - info@deathgoesdigital.com (mailto:info@deathgoesdigital.com) Until next month, keep safe, and keep going. Pete Photo by AJ (https://unsplash.com/@ajny?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on Unsplash (https://unsplash.com/s/photos/blossom-tree?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theartofmemorialising.substack.com (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

15. 

    3 Mar 2022

    Have You Reserved Your Plot in Facebook's Cemetery?

    What can you do to stay informed about digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation, and all things #Deathtech? Being ahead in this changing marketplace and cultural transformation could help you spot trends and find opportunities to promote and grow your end-of-life or funeral business. Welcome to The Art of Memorialising - an audio newsletter by Peter Billingham from Death Goes Digital (https://www.deathgoesdigital.com/) and Memorable Words Eulogy Writing services. (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/eulogy-writing-services) The Art of Memorialising curates news on digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation and all things #Deathtech. Thanks for being here. WHITEBALLOON  (https://www.whiteballoon.co.uk/)is sponsoring this month’s edition. Whiteballoon is a quiet space to gather your thoughts and make informed decisions about how best to honour and celebrate the life of a loved one. What Will You Find In This Issue? * Is The Eternal Digital Cemetery Called Meta The Best Way To Remember A Friend or Loved One? * The Dragons Who Got Feisty Over The Contents of A Biscuit Tin. * Mindbank.ai are giving 100,000 free premium subscriptions for distribution among NGOs in 2022 for Personal Digital Twin technology. * How Uploading Your Life to ‘Mindfiles’ Can Create Writer’s Block. I’ve Been Visiting Facebook’s Cemetery - Unexpectedly And It’s Not A Good Experience I stopped posting updates on Facebook a few years ago. Why? The pressure calling to me constantly to read the feed, the banality of some of content, the touched up, airbrushed, filtered images and messages of the rest left me wondering if it was the best use of my time? Yes, I know, it was a way I could ‘keep in touch’ with my ‘friends.’ But I preferred a chat on the phone, or a coffee together to do that. So I stopped. For seven years, back in 00s I worked in Kiev. Commuting there every other week. I know the city. I’ve walked the streets of that beautiful metropolis, marvelling in the history, culture and atmosphere of the roads where now people, many who are my friends, hide deep underground in metro stations and hidden shopping centres. It breaks my heart and I fear of the future for them. So I went on Facebook hoping to ‘speak’ to some of these friends, and send support and whatever help a private message could bring. Just a few were posting odd pictures and prayers. Most were understandably silent. And the silence was deafening. As I was about to leave Facebook, I noticed at the top of my page a carousel of people’s faces. Facebook suggested I may know some of these, as we have mutual friends. Two of them I know are dead. One, a colleague in Ukraine who passed away with COVID, had sent me a friend request a while ago. I never replied or accepted. It made me very sad I hadn’t. I didn’t know what to do. Confirm the request, removing it didn’t feel respectful, so it’s sitting there waiting for me. The other person tragically passed away just before Christmas. I’d watched their funeral on YouTube from a distance. It seemed a grand celebration of a life just cut too short. A spouse read a poem I often read at the funerals I lead as a celebrant. I said my goodbyes to them online. It was a shock to see these two faces smiling back at me. After all, who posts an unhappy face on their Facebook profile? I’m sure, if I returned to looking at Facebook each day, it would soon tell me to wish them a happy birthday at some point. Both of their last posts were an updated profile picture just before they died. Both of their deaths were unexpected. So was the sight of these faces when I went on Facebook. It was disturbing. Very distressing. They had memorialised neither profiles. My friend in Ukraine was single and had no family left alive. I’m guessing nobody knew or could change that situation. The other, perhaps they have left the profile as it is. I’m not sure. Two more lives digitally preserved in the Facebook Cemetery owned now by Meta - forever. This situation must happen millions of times a day. It will continue to happen - even more. Makes me think telling the world about digital legacy is a cause to continue. Sponsored Product - Whiteballoon (https://www.whiteballoon.co.uk/) Whiteballoon (https://www.whiteballoon.co.uk/) is a portal giving access to comprehensive information. Its resources cover every aspect of end of life, compiling this into an easy-to-use platform that gently guides people through the process of loss. Whiteballoon (https://www.whiteballoon.co.uk/) also highlights the latest thinking, products and services.  Innovations such as eco-friendly funerals or new ways to memorialise a loved one. Through Whiteballoon, people can connect to artisans and professional organisations, helping them to create the perfect farewell. Whiteballoon (https://www.whiteballoon.co.uk/): * Is free-to-use. It includes information on what to do when someone dies, planning a funeral, and finding bereavement support. * Offers useful Planning Tools. Including a personal ideas folder to gather information. Print this out or share digitally with family or a funeral director. * Allows users to find and connect quickly and easily with the individuals, artisans and professional organisations they need. * Whiteballoon is creating a community of compassionate, forward-thinking people and businesses that are committed to excellence in their field. Interested in sharing your new product or service with readers of The Art of Memorialising? (check here) (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/the-art-of-memorialising-sponsorship) We highlight your product, service, or idea sponsoring an edition. We give you the space; you get to tell the world about what you are doing or have created. You and your business can become part of the adventure now (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/the-art-of-memorialising-sponsorship). Secure your month in 2022 now. Memorialisation Morsels 5 meaty bites of news for YOU to stay ahead of the conversation on Digital Legacy, Digital Life Curation & all things #Deathtech. 1 - What Happens to Humanity’s Data When All The Users Have Gone? (https://english.elpais.com/science-tech/2022-02-22/archiving-facebook-what-happens-to-humanitys-data-when-all-the-users-have-gone.html) (via El País) Pointing to the first-ever drop in the number of Facebook’s users - El País asks, is this a turning point in our online existences? What will mankind’s largest digital cemetery look like, and who will access it? With millions of deceased Facebook users profiles visible, it brings with them the shock, sadness and grief that may be suspending prolonging bereavement, even making loss perpetual? What will be the challenges of this growing digital cemetery? I know now, these editorials and articles are not fiction, but fact, and it is a subject that will only grow. 2 - The Dragons Who Got Feisty Over The Contents of A Biscuit Tin Sheila Hogan, creator of the Digital Legacy platform, Biscuit Tin appeared on the BBC entrepreneurs funding show Dragons Den. She pitched her idea to the Dragons after having built a website that helped people to wrap up the affairs of loved ones who have died. While the emotional side of the idea struck a chord with some Dragons, the business plan offered no incentive to invest. The projected losses within the first years were eye watering high. Thinking the major players in the field would engulf the business, for that reason, they all ‘were out!’ After the show, she secured a £300,000 investment, (https://www.insider.co.uk/news/digital-legacy-vault-innovator-secures-26140880) with Velocity Capital leading the round, alongside Scottish Enterprise and private backers. While a sizeable sum, in line with projected losses and the sums of other venture capital reported here, time will tell if it will secure the future of the business. (Via insider (https://www.insider.co.uk/news/digital-legacy-vault-innovator-secures-26140880)) 3 - Digital Devices (Access for Next of Kin) Bill - UK - 2nd Reading To give it the full name - ‘A Bill to grant a right of access to the digital devices of a dead or incapacitated person to their next of kin; and for connected purposes.’ - Simply put - Your next of kin will may access your smart phone and your other digital devices on your death or incapacity. You can (and possibly should) read MP Ian Paisley’s speech in parliament, here (https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2022-01-18/debates/AF75D719-07AD-446D-B2AD-754C0D785B1A/DigitalDevices(AccessForNextOfKin)). The second reading of the proposed bill is on 18th March 2022 - You can check the ongoing progress of the bill, here. (https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3097#timeline) Will it become law? What do you think? It could have significant impact on privacy for dead people. 4 - 100,000 Free Premium Subscriptions for A Personal Digital Twin®  from Mindbank.ai (Mindbank.ai) (Via The Free Press (https://www.tampafp.com/mindbank-ai-joins-the-council-for-inclusive-capitalism/)) Startup MindBank Ai (https://www.mindbank.ai/) announced they’ve joined the Council for Inclusive Capitalism (http://www.inclusivecapitalism.com/) with commitments to tackle technological and financial gaps through the use of Personal Digital Twin technology (PDT). This technology has the potential to transform society by leveraging personalised Ai to reduce societal gaps. They are providing 100,000 free premium subscriptions for distribution among NGOs in 2022. A Gartner investigation predicts the Personal Digital Twin of humans might become a transformation technology used by 5% of the world within 2-5 years. With its commitments to the Council for Inclusive Capitalism, MindBank Ai’s goal is to ensure that they leave behind no developing nations in this digital transformation. “I’m living proof that inclusive capitalism works and MindBank Ai will completely change the paradigm for millions of people who lack the access to healthcare and financial inclusion.” – Emil Jimenez – Founder & CEO of MindBank Ai 5 - What I Learned From Recording My Thoughts for an Immortal A.I. (https://slate.com/technology/2022/02/mindfiling-ai-immortality-digital-legacy-terasem-lifenaut.html) Interesting and thought-provoking piece from Harvey James (via SLATE (https://slate.com/technology/2022/02/mindfiling-ai-immortality-digital-legacy-terasem-lifenaut.html)) on ‘Mindfiling.’ (Is this to be a new word?) The definition - Mindfiling is a central daily act of uploading data about yourself to be stored until the resulting model of your mind and consciousness can be reconstructed and uploaded into an artificial body. Another way of saying we can create a digital twin to live on after we die. In the piece, Harvey James discovered finding things to store others might find interesting after his death a bit of a challenge. Poignantly wondering if his great-great-granddaughter won’t actually want a digital representation of him in the future. Maybe the business opportunity is being a freelance life curation writer? Snippets It seems we mention GoodTrust (https://mygoodtrust.com/)in every episode! But worthy of the news this time, they passed 100,000 registered customers (https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/goodtrust-the-leader-in-digital-life-and-legacy-management-hits-100k-customers-milestone-301464945.html) in over 60 countries. Now that is impressive! Advance planning of a different kind - Digital Legacy Association UK Conference 2022 (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/digital-legacy-conference-2022-tickets-237442064607) dates released. Who do you know who would find this information interesting? Please, can you forward the email to them? I’d be very grateful. Let’s start a conversation - info@deathgoesdigital.com (deathgoesdigital.com) Until next month, keep safe, and keep going. Pete This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theartofmemorialising.substack.com (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

16. 

    1 Feb 2022

    Now The Dead Can Talk Back - How Do We Respond When They Do?

    What can you do to stay informed about digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation, and all things #Deathtech? Being ahead in this changing marketplace and cultural transformation could help you spot trends, and find opportunities to promote and grow your end-of-life or funeral business. Welcome to The Art of Memorialising - an audio newsletter by Peter Billingham from Death Goes Digital (https://www.deathgoesdigital.com/) and Memorable Words Eulogy Writing services. (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/eulogy-writing-services) The Art of Memorialising curates news on digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation and all things #Deathtech. Thanks for being here. Sponsoring this edition of The Art of Memorialising is - Johanna Sumiala (https://twitter.com/johannasumiala) is an Associate Professor of Media and Communication Studies at the University of Helsinki and author of Mediated Death published by Polity. (https://www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?book_slug=mediated-death--9781509544530) What Will You Find In This Issue? * Whoa! Hang on a minute - Digital Devices (Access for Next of Kin) Bill is gaining momentum to possibly become law in the UK. * Start-up Spotlights on the beta launch of Time Capzule (https://beta.timecapzle.com/) and Legacy Stories (https://www.legacystories.com/) websites. * How recording the soundtrack of someone in your family member could make their memories live on to future generations. Is There Anybody There? Picture the scene. It’s a darkened room, heavy with anticipation. The air is as thick as the ruby velvet curtains and matching tablecloth where six curious and anxious people sit holding hands - waiting. Hesitant. Hopeful even. ‘Is there anybody there?’ The questioning voice is asking for a reply from the world where those who have passed over now dwell. Sometimes mysterious, and sometimes nothing but a hoax. That feels even more sad as some of those living want to connect with their dead loved ones. Whether you believe in life after death, or you believe in nothing at all, there is within many people a deep desire, a wish, believing maybe it really is possible to speak to those they love who have passed away. In the month when we mark fifty years since the world’s first cryonic preserved human wanted to remain immortal (https://qz.com/883524/fifty-years-frozen-the-worlds-first-cryonically-preserved-humans-disturbing-journey-to-immortality/), we ask, ‘Now The Dead Can Talk Back - How Do We Respond When Then Do?’ That’s one question the sponsor of this month’s newsletter asks in her new book, Mediated Death (https://www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?book_slug=mediated-death--9781509544530). As never before, digital technologies, among them artificial intelligence, offer you the possibilities for immortalisation novel in human history. These technological advancements enable the dead to talk back to us in certain respects. Are we on the cusp of a brave new afterlife world? Let’s explore further. Dr Debra Bassett (https://twitter.com/djbassett2), a digital afterlife academic, and guest of the Death Goes Digital Podcast, (https://www.deathgoesdigital.com/podcast/digital-immortality-debra-bassett) (back as a PhD researcher then!) explained in a 2018 paper. (via The Metro (https://metro.co.uk/2022/01/08/in-focus-digital-legacies-ready-to-be-surrounded-by-virtual-ghosts-15858201/)) ‘The Internet is providing a platform where ‘ordinary’ people can remain socially active following biological death, which was once the realm of the rich and famous in society.’ (Think Disney and the myth of whether he was cryogenically preserved.) But it’s her caution going forward into that brave new afterlife world catching my attention. Her fear is of what she calls the ‘second loss’ – a theory she originated. ‘Digital immortality does not exist – digital endurance only exists whilst the companies that hold the data exist.’ And losing that data could be like losing your loved ones all over again. Makes you think, doesn’t it? STOP PRESS! Digital Devices (Access for Next of Kin) Bill - UK To give it the full name - ‘A Bill to grant a right of access to the digital devices of a dead or incapacitated person to their next of kin; and for connected purposes.’ Simply put - Your next of kin will have the right to access your smart phone and your other digital devices on your death or incapacity. You can (and possibly should) read MP Ian Paisley’s speech in parliament, here (https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2022-01-18/debates/AF75D719-07AD-446D-B2AD-754C0D785B1A/DigitalDevices(AccessForNextOfKin)). You can check the ongoing progress of the bill, here. (https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3097#timeline) More news and information next month and look out for a blog at Death Goes Digital (https://www.deathgoesdigital.com/) Startup Spotlights - Timecapzle (https://beta.timecapzle.com/) and Legacy Stories (https://www.legacystories.com/) Timecapzle (https://beta.timecapzle.com/) Launching a beta platform into the end-of-life/digital life curation marketplace is Timecapzle (https://beta.timecapzle.com/). Timecapzle (https://beta.timecapzle.com/) (via the website (https://beta.timecapzle.com/)) By capturing the true essence of an individual, they can then generate their digital persona - a digital twin. With Timecapzle (https://beta.timecapzle.com/), you can access the services of: Lineage - Lineage is a service designed for the preservation of a person’s identity in a family tree fashion. Persona - Persona is an AI replication of your person. Persona provides comfort and wisdom to those living today that will be available whenever they need throughout their life. Interpersonal - Timecapzle sends people to create the foundation for your digital legacy. They professionally capture everything to bring you the highest quality video and the most detailed profile. The mission of Timecapzle (https://beta.timecapzle.com/) is interesting. They donate 7% of profits providing food, education, and clean water to people everywhere. Legacy Stories Legacy Stories (via issuewire (https://www.issuewire.com/legacy-stories-launches-new-website-1722420697337963)) announced the launch of its new website, www.legacystories.com (www.legacystories.com). Legacy Stories wants to create a fresh approach to preserving family history. The website offers four levels of family history preservation, making it easier than ever to capture the stories of family members before it’s too late. Professional Legacy Stories StoryKeepers will conduct the interviews and produce high-quality digital memoirs that provide an invaluable legacy for future generations. Heard of a startup in digital life curation or #Deathtech? Please let me know. Email info@deathgoesdigital.com (mailto:info@deathgoesdigital.com) Sponsored Product or Service Mediated Death is a must-read for scholars and students of communication studies, as well as general readers interested in exploring the meaning of mediated death in contemporary society. Among many interesting observations and questions, Johanna Sumiala (https://twitter.com/johannasumiala) asks how digital mourning on social media channels has altered people’s attitudes to death in society. To find out more - Check out the detailed guest blog post at Death Goes Digital. (https://www.deathgoesdigital.com/blog/2022/mediated-death-johanna-sumiala) Or check out the book’s details at the publisher Polity. (https://www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?book_slug=mediated-death--9781509544530) Interested in sharing your new product or service with readers of The Art of Memorialising? (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/the-art-of-memorialising-sponsorship) (check here) We highlight your product, service, or idea sponsoring an edition. We give you the space; you get to tell the world about what you are doing or have created. You and your business can become part of the adventure now (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/the-art-of-memorialising-sponsorship). Secure your month in 2022 now. MM’s (Memorialisation Morsels) 5 meaty bites of news for YOU to stay ahead of the conversation on Digital Legacy, Digital Life Curation & all things #Deathtech. 1 - Making my Dad’s Desert Island Discs ‘His voice became my constant companion.’ BBC News correspondent Dan Johnson kept his dad’s memory alive by recording the soundtrack of his life. (via BBC News (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60084596)) It made him consider the importance of preserving the memories of loved ones. ‘… if you have the opportunity, make the most of it - get something recorded. It doesn’t matter what you talk about. The reflections and insights are powerful…’ Also - This is 5 Minutes On: Making my Dad’s Desert Island Discs (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0bhqs2r). 2 - Personal.ai Awarded Eureka Park Accessibility Award at CES 2022 CES is the most influential tech based event in the world. Personal.ai, (who we have profiled here on the newsletter before) received the Eureka Park Accessibility Award (https://blog.personal.ai/personal-ai-to-be-awarded-eureka-park-accessibility-award-at-ces-2022-9f9a905d3583). (via Personal.ai blog) Awarded to companies that show innovation in the development of accessible technology and inclusive technology that enhances humanity. 3 - Digital legacies – Are We Ready to be Surrounded by Virtual Ghosts? (via The metro.co.uk (https://metro.co.uk/2022/01/08/in-focus-digital-legacies-ready-to-be-surrounded-by-virtual-ghosts-15858201/)) Excellent article in The Metro, worth a read. (From the article) ‘Thanks to 21st-century technology, the dead are far from hidden these days. Family members can log onto their Facebook accounts to share updates about the deceased’s lives, wishing they were there as a form of contact… Nowadays we can easily carry the deceased around in our pockets...’ 4 - Your Ai Personal Digital Twin® Wants to Say Hi - Mindbank.ai (https://www.mindbank.ai/) Mindbank.ai (who we have profiled here on the newsletter) announced, with a drum roll, the beta version of the platform is being launched. Their vision is to be the world’s most trusted guardians of your Personal Digital Twin®. Using cutting edge cognitive analysis, users can get valuable insights into their life now, understanding how your mind works. Guided questions help train your digital twin to know your life story so you can live forever through data. Immortality through data, however, is a byproduct, but not the core focus of Mindbank.ai. 5 - The Nike Designers Who Started an Online Cremation Service (via Bloomberg (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-10/nike-designers-start-the-solace-online-cremation-service)) Keith Crawford and David Odusanya started Solace in April 2019. Timing is everything in business, but they could not have expected how the world would need their idea. As often the story of entrepreneurship is told, experiencing the death of parents, both Crawford and Odusanya wondered how they could radically redesign the funeral process. Solace is their answer. Are Solace and companies similar going to transform the funeral industry? Thanks to the team at Whiteballoon (https://www.whiteballoon.co.uk/) for sending the link about Solace. Who do you know who would find this information interesting? Please, can you forward the email to them? I’d be very grateful. Let’s start a conversation - info@deathgoesdigital.com (deathgoesdigital.com) Until next month, keep safe, and keep going. Pete This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theartofmemorialising.substack.com (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

17. 

    1 Jan 2022

    Which is better, New Year Resolutions or New Year Intentions?

    Happy New Year! Welcome to 2022 and the seventh edition of The Art of Memorialising - an audio newsletter by Peter Billingham from Death Goes Digital (https://www.deathgoesdigital.com/) and Memorable Words Eulogy Writing services. (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/eulogy-writing-services) The Art of Memorialising curates news on digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation and all things #Deathtech. My aim is to keep you updated with this changing marketplace. To help you learn about trends, and to find potential opportunities to grow your end-of-life or funeral marketplace business. Thanks for being here. What Will I Find In This Issue? * What’s the difference between a New Year Resolution and New Year Intention? (And does it matter?) * Which Digital Legacy platform could be right for you? * Pete’s #Deathtech Predictions Wonderings for 2022 Which is better, New Year Resolutions or New Year Intentions? I’m not one for making New Year resolutions, or predictions for that matter. Why? If you’re like me, while January is still in single digits, I’ve broken them! Do you know what I mean? When you set resolutions, they become fixed boundaries, easy to break. This sets us up for feeling as if we have failed before the year has started! Regardless of the progress we may have made. It’s not the best way to start the New Year. But there is an alternative. I make New Year intentions instead. Setting a New Year intention instead offers us flexibility, so we can approach our goals for the New Year with more compassion for ourselves. It’s a far better way to start the New Year. It’s the same with making predictions - I don’t make them. If there is anything I learned from January 2020, it was - we never expected how 2020 would turn out. No throwbacks here to the Old Monty Python Sketch! Nobody expects…! Here is an interesting prediction. Earl Warren would have never have expected how his prediction would become truth and reality. “The fantastic advances in the field of electronic communication constitute a greater danger to the privacy of the individual.” ― Earl Warren Earl Warren was an American politician and jurist. Warren served as the 30th governor of California, and as the 14th chief justice of the United States. I’m not sure when he said these insightful words, but he died in 1974. How prophetic are his words? Privacy concerns are everywhere. So I don’t make resolutions, but intentions. I don’t make predictions, but have wonderings! I wonder if …? I’m wondering if the need for privacy, will develop beyond whatever Warren could have imagined? Our prolific use of online products, services, shopping and no end of other apps, and social media sites causes us privacy choices. But my wonderings are will we all see such positive choices coming from curating or adapting so much of our life online, regardless of issues of privacy? Or have we lost our right to privacy anyway? I passed a billboard this week advertising EE Full Fibre Max broadband. Saying it, “Connects 100 devices all at once, so you can download music, stream sport, enjoy glitch-free gaming and even land an aircraft all at the same time (https://youtu.be/9XMsISVWz-w), because it can really handle anything you throw at it.” At one time, having two or three internet devices connected in our homes seemed a lot - now 100 doesn’t seem so crazy after all. And each one of those connections comes with its privacy concerns. I think it would amaze Warren how true his predication was! Startup Spotlights The most frequent questions I receive are asking about the growing number of start-ups in the end-of-life marketplace. * Which digital legacy platform is the most secure? * There are so many new ways for me to secure my digital legacy. How can I know which is the best? * What happens if the platform goes bust? * Why should I pay when so many offer the service for free? We could label all digital legacy start-ups with the #Deathtech hashtag. But that limits many of the innovative platforms developed. Some offer secure ways to plan your death. Others offer exciting ways to capture life! Since I started Death Goes Digital in 2016, the language around digital legacy has taken a significant and positive change forwards. Whereas it was once, ‘You better do this before you die,’ - now it’s more about the positive choices you can take to curate your life online. So, I thought the best way to start 2022 was to give you a list of all the start-ups I’ve highlighted in the newsletter so far. Just to celebrate the exciting innovation in the marketplace. Check back to the newsletter archive, for more information on each spotlight start-up. December - Vocapsule (https://www.vocapsule.ai/) and Re-cordis (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com/p/Re-cordis) November -  Mind Bank AI (https://www.mindbank.ai/) & Hearafter AI (https://www.hereafter.ai/) October - Live Will (https://livewill.app/) & Lantern (https://www.lantern.co/) September - Whiteballoon (https://www.whiteballoon.co.uk/) & Shared Affairs (https://sharedaffairs.com/) August - After Cloud (https://myaftercloud.com/) & Cake (https://www.joincake.com/welcome/) July - GoodTrust (https://mygoodtrust.com/) & Memories (https://memories.net/) Heard of a startup in #Deathtech? Please let me know. Email info@deathgoesdigital.com Pete’s Predictions Wonderings With a nod to my words above, here’s a few Pete’s Wonderings for 2022 and beyond. 1 - I’m wondering if - Apple’s Legacy Contact Will Make Digital Legacy A Simple Click? Apple just released the updated iOS 15.2 and iPadOS 15.2. The web has been buzzing with two key changes - its Privacy Report feature and Legacy Contact.(via zdnet.com (https://www.zdnet.com/article/ios-15-2s-app-privacy-report-how-to-turn-it-on-and-what-it-all-means/)) Once you enable the Privacy Report feature, you can see what private data each app is accessing on your device, and how often it's happening. This might be a scary report! Second, Apple’s new legacy feature allows you to designate a friend or family member as a Legacy Contact, what a Legacy Contact can do and what they'll need before they can access your account data (an account recovery key plus a death certificate (https://www.zdnet.com/article/ios-15-2-how-to-make-sure-your-family-has-access-to-your-icloud-data-when-you-die/)). Worth reading is - Apple iOS 15.2: How To Use Its Most Awesome New Feature (https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidphelan/2021/12/27/apple-ios-152-how-to-use-its-most-awesome-new-feature/) (via Forbes (https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidphelan/2021/12/27/apple-ios-152-how-to-use-its-most-awesome-new-feature/)) 2 - I’m wondering if - The Growth of Direct Cremation Will Continue? Direct cremation is the simple funeral choice for a growing number of families. The pandemic impacted this style of funeral, which is low-cost and offers choices for a family over the traditional funeral service. Around 14%, of all funerals in 2020, were direct cremation compared to 3% in 2019. (https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/money/increase-in-direct-cremations-23515415) It’s not always cost I see driving the choice. Flexibility of location, simplicity and informality are as much reasons. Lockdown restrictions and social distancing provided many more people the opportunity to be part of a funeral from a distance through webcasting. Will it grow even more in 2022? 3 - I’m wondering if - Offering Digital Legacy Advice or Skills Will Become Requisite? Care Homes, Hospices and Senior living facilities are offering training and advice on digital legacy. Here I’m wondering what opportunities this could provide to support this sector by digital legacy companies? For example, Compton Care is a leader in palliative care. Compton Care partner with people to embrace life with a complex or incurable condition. It’s interesting to see them offering a digital legacy workshop (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/digital-legacy-workshop-tickets-223986739367?aff=ebdsoporgprofile). I’m wondering, will more similar service providers take the same opportunity to support their members? Could offering this training be an opportunity for your business? 4 - I’m wondering if - Life Curation Apps Will Become The New ‘Must Have Technology?’ I have been looking at the life curation platform - Personal AI (https://www.personal.ai/). The beta platform sent me an invitation to try the software. Personal AI allows you to speak, write, or upload insights, information, and experiences into your personal AI so you can recall your memories when you need them. The possibilities fascinate me! But I’m frozen and stalled by the impacts of that decision to put my life online. What do you think about this? Over the coming year, I may try an experiment and see what curating your life online is like… but then again, this is not a resolution, it’s not even an intention! It’s a wondering. Interesting to see HereAfter offering gift subscriptions (https://www.hereafter.ai/gifts) in the run up to Christmas. The gift that will keep on giving… forever? 5 - I’m wondering if - Major Digital Legacy Players Will Come To The Fore in 2022? How can you know if the service you have paid for delivering posthumous messages worked? And if it didn’t, what can you do about it? Ok, it sounds a silly question, but seeing several digital legacy and funeral planning websites close, it’s a valid one. Who will become the major players as digital legacy becomes mainstream? GoodTrust who we have profiled before just raised $5 million (https://venturebeat.com/2021/12/20/goodtrust-raises-5m-to-protect-your-digital-legacy-for-your-loved-ones/) to protect your digital legacy. The amounts of funding being invested into the marketplace makes it worth watching in 2022. Sponsored Product or Service Interested in sharing your new product or service with readers of The Art of Memorialising? Spaces are becoming limited for 2022. Until March we are offering 50% reduction in the monthly sponsorship investment. Secure your month in 2022 now before its too late or the price increases. Get In Touch at info@deathgoesdigital.com. Who do you know who would find this information interesting? Please, can you forward the email to them? I'd be very grateful. I’d love to hear from you. Let’s start a conversation - info@deathgoesdigital.com Until next month, keep safe, and keep going. Pete This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theartofmemorialising.substack.com (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

18. 

    1 Dec 2021

    Now Hear A Loved One’s Voice Forever

    Welcome to the sixth edition of The Art of Memorialising, a monthly newsletter by Peter Billingham from Death Goes Digital (https://www.deathgoesdigital.com/) and Memorable Words Eulogy Writing (https://www.memorablewords.co.uk/eulogy-writing-services) services. The Art of Memorialising is news about digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation and all things #Deathtech. You can now listen to the newsletter as well as read it! My aim is to keep you informed with this fast changing marketplace, learn developing trends and spot potential opportunities to develop your end-of-life or funeral business. Thanks for reading or listening to The Art of Memorialising. Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support the newsletter. WHITEBALLOON  (https://www.whiteballoon.co.uk/)is sponsoring this month’s edition. Whiteballoon is a quiet space to gather your thoughts and make informed decisions about how best to honour and celebrate the life of a loved one. What Will You Find Here This Month? We have Startup Spotlights on Vocapsule (https://www.vocapsule.ai/) and Re-cordis (http://www.recordis.cat) Our ‘Memorialisation Morsels’ highlight - * A UK web portal (http://death.io) to plan your funeral and end-of-life wishes as well as tell your life story to be remembered forever. * A safe space (https://www.lalo.app/)for people to create, share and preserve life stories. * Mark Zuckerberg is betting on bringing The Metaverse (https://www.theverge.com/22588022/mark-zuckerberg-facebook-ceo-metaverse-interview) to life - what about death? * A UK based Guardian Angel (https://guardianangel.network/about) breaking down the taboo attached to dying. * How storing your digital legacy in a My Life Jar (https://mylifejars.com/what-is-my-lifejars/)- may be just right for you. THANK YOU for being here. Let’s discover the future together through - The Art of Memorialising. Peter Photo by Aston Graham (https://unsplash.com/@aston_anthony?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on Unsplash (https://unsplash.com/collections/3358929/ear?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) Would you want to remember the sound of a loved one’s voice forever? How do you feel about recording your voice, saving it for eternity? What if a voice could be cloned to speak special messages to you after the person had died? Remembering your loved one’s voice is a beautiful way to keep them with you forever. It’s amazing what it can do to your memory of them. Often people say to me, ‘I can’t remember the sound of my father’s or mother’s voice.’ What about if you could listen to their voice again and again for all the years to come? Artificial intelligence is giving you the opportunity to record, clone, store a voice so it can speak to you, to tell your children a story or retell the story of their life. Curating your life online and creating digital immortality for the sound of your voice. What do you think? Fascinating or uncomfortable? I’d love to hear from you. Startup Spotlights Startup Spotlights on Vocapsule (https://www.vocapsule.ai/) and Re-cordis (Re-cordis) Vocapsule is a ‘Voice Management Service.’  I came across the company about a year ago, and chatted with one of their founders fascinated at the vision to help preserve voices for digital legacy, but also for those suffering with degenerative diseases where voices would be lost in time, as in patients with ALS or Motor Neurone Disease.  (https://www.vocapsule.ai/als) Vocapsule records audio data & stores the files in a private database to activate in the future by you or a trusted recipient. When an account is activated, they train a voice-clone using AI technology from the best labs in the world. Your first thought could be, what about privacy? Vocapsule claims (https://www.vocapsule.ai/info) they use secure, audited companies with ethical standards to ensure data is secure. With Vocapsule you can: * Record a script and upload the audio to their team, who creates a test clone. * Request cloned phrases for the future. For example, say Happy Birthday every year with a custom message. * Use Vocapsule’s premium-quality clones to deliver dynamic content with emotional range. Generating custom messages, audiobooks, and many amazing content sounding in a genuine voice. Look at the site, videos and clone demo. They are even moving towards cloning in Spanish and French, even if you don’t speak the language! Vocapsule are preparing to launch a subscription model globally that allows you to record and archive a voice indefinitely. For more info, visit Vocapsule (https://www.vocapsule.ai/info). Re-cordis (Re-cordis) - Placing The Exact Location Where a Loved One Died The Re-cordis App (https://www.recordis.cat/), is a free application available for Android and IOS allowing registered users to place on a map the exact location where a loved one died. We often see roadside memorials. This initiative stems from those tributes where a loved one died in accident. Now, with Re-cordis (https://www.recordis.cat/) families have a way to mark the place of memorial. Even allowing for virtual offerings for people not able to visit the exact location. The app allows uploading information about the person, and geolocating the place where they died. You can add images, biography and even voice audio. Other Startups in The News - Forever Mortal (https://www.forevermortal.com/) - Turning the memories of a lost loved one into a life of celebration using technology in ways never seen before, launching soon. Last month we highlighted - HereAfter (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com/p/who-else-wants-to-live-forever)- The app that creates a Life Story Avatar launched this week.  (launched this week. ) Sponsored Product - Whiteballoon (https://www.whiteballoon.co.uk/) Whiteballoon (https://www.whiteballoon.co.uk/) is a portal giving access to comprehensive information. Its resources cover every aspect of end of life, compiling this into an easy-to-use platform that gently guides people through the process of loss. Whiteballoon (https://www.whiteballoon.co.uk/) also highlights the latest thinking, products and services.  Innovations such as eco-friendly funerals or new ways to memorialise a loved one. Through Whiteballoon, people can connect to artisans and professional organisations, helping them to create the perfect farewell. Whiteballoon (https://www.whiteballoon.co.uk/): * Is free-to-use. It includes information on what to do when someone dies, planning a funeral, and finding bereavement support. * Offers useful Planning Tools. Including a personal ideas folder to gather information. Print this out or share digitally with family or a funeral director. * Allows users to find and connect quickly and easily with the individuals, artisans and professional organisations they need. * Whiteballoon is creating a community of compassionate, forward-thinking people and businesses that are committed to excellence in their field. Want To Promote Your Product or Service? Interested in telling the audience of The Art of Memorialising about what you do? Get In Touch Here (mailto:info@deathgoesdigital.com). MM’s (Memorialisation Morsels) 5 meaty bites of news for YOU to stay ahead of the conversation on Digital Legacy, Digital Life Curation & #Deathtech developments. DEATHio - Getting Digital Death In Order (DEATHio - Getting Digital Death In Order) Death.io is a modern approach to thinking about the end of our lives. Planning for death may be morbid, but it is important - nobody gets away with not dying eventually, however the digital life can remain immortal. Internal is the safe platform for recording and sharing your memories and special stories. Whether writing, filming, or recording; they display all your chosen moments on your personal Internal timeline. Born as a response to the pandemic and the need to memorialise and share stories, Iternal offers you the chance to connect with and remember your loved ones through cherished memories. Every life has been extraordinary - here’s how to record it.  (https://iternal.life/who-its-for/) Lalo - A safe space for people to create, share and preserve life stories. (https://www.lalo.app/) When a loved one passes away, it's difficult to remember them. Lalo is an online memorial platform that provides a simple, safe way to create a meaningful farewell by tapping into the emotional aspects of death – memories, photos, stories, even recipes – things that can get lost when a death happens. After his father’s death, Juan Medina wondered if he knew his father as much as he could have. Researching his family’s past using genealogy and DNA research sites like Ancestry and 23andMe, he recorded conversations and collected photos. After a positive response, he wondered how he could take the idea and scale it. The result is Lalo. You can hear Juan Medina talk about Lalo on The New Mainstream podcast.  (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/death-tech-the-lalo-app-creates-ad-free-story-hub-for/id1198717946?i=1000539302187) The Metaverse and Digital Legacy (The Metaverse and Digital Legacy) (Via The Next Web) You may notice in recent weeks the transitions and changes at Facebook and its plans to change the name to Meta. In this keynote speech (In this keynote speech), Mark Zuckerberg explains how technology is changing and how, in the coming ‘metaverse’ we will live and socialise, learn, collaborate and play in ways that go beyond what we can imagine today. Living in the metaverse is just beginning. But what about dying in it? In this article by Stefanie Schillmöller and Charlotte Wiede, (Via The Next Web) they suggest we need to plan for immortality (we need to plan for immortality) in the coming metaverse. Insightful article. ‘So the real question isn’t whether we’ll live on in the digital realm after our deaths, but how…’ Guardian Angel - We’re here for your next step, whatever that may be. (Guardian Angel - We’re here for your next step, whatever that may be.) The founder of Guardian Angel lost his mother tragically in a car accident. Finding the process difficult, he sought a new and simple way for others to follow. It was with this in mind; he launched Guardian Angel. Guardian Angel is a secure and private online service specially designed to help families through the times following a death. Guardian Angel offers - end-of-life planning, life assurance, will writing, and bereavement support. Guardian Angel believes it can make a positive and long-lasting contribution to society by helping to break down the taboo attached to dying. My Life Jars - A Quick and Easy Way To Organise Your Life and Capture Memories  (My Life Jars - A Quick and Easy Way To Organise Your Life and Capture Memories ) My LifeJars is the highly secure, online & mobile-responsive platform designed to organise and store your personal information, available at anytime, anywhere. The depth and breadth of this site sets it apart in the marketplace. After a near-death experience, the CEO and founder of LifeJars, Suke Ridler, realised she would have left everything in a mess. It’s a common problem when someone dies. Family members can’t find information relevant to the person after their death. Templates and prompts guide you through organising and storing your important documents, passwords, and writing a life journal. People can choose to join your tribe and share the content that is directly related to what you specify. You can even plan Online Memorials for loved ones, Online Tributes and even Online Funeral Services. Other News and Articles * Should your social media accounts be erased after your death, or instead leave a digital legacy for loved ones? (Should your social media accounts be erased after your death, or instead leave a digital legacy for loved ones?) * Zenplans - The game-changing platform created for Advisors & Estate Planners to help clients easily organise everything important in one secure place. (Zenplans - The game-changing platform created for Advisors & Estate Planners to help clients easily organise everything important in one secure place.) * Settld - A simple, secure solution to end-of-life admin. Settld’s free death notification informs many companies in one go.  (Settld - A simple, secure solution to end-of-life admin. Settlds free death notification informs many companies in one go. ) * South Korean mother given tearful VR reunion with deceased daughter (South Korean mother given tearful VR reunion with deceased daughter) Thanks for reading! Who’d you know who would find this information interesting? Please, can you forward the newsletter to them? I’d be very grateful. I’d love to hear from you. Get In Touch Here (mailto:info@deathgoesdigital.com). Until next month, keep safe, and keep going. Pete This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theartofmemorialising.substack.com (https://theartofmemorialising.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

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