New Empathy Research Reveals AI Is Already Part of How People Grieve

Nearly one in four people who use AI have already turned to it while grieving; 97% say it helped, yet they still expect clear safeguards around how and when it's used

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--New research from Empathy finds that people are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to help them cope with grief and the logistical burdens of loss. Empathy, the tech leader in planning for and dealing with life’s hardest moments, surveyed more than 6,000 people across the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, revealing that seven in ten grieving individuals did not receive the support they needed from traditional systems. The findings come from Empathy's new report, Grief in the Age of AI.

Losing a loved one takes a heavy emotional toll while triggering a cascade of tasks, timelines, and decisions. Yet grief remains strikingly under-supported, leaving most people to manage with a patchwork of tools designed for generic or transactional needs. In the absence of widely available grief support, the same AI tools people already use to manage work, finances, and health are increasingly being tapped for grief as well. According to the research, nearly all of those who turned to AI in grief found value in it, though today's general-purpose tools were not built for the realities and nuances of loss.

Only 31% of respondents reported receiving the help they needed in their grief. Behind that figure, the majority pointed to significant gaps in emotional support, time, flexibility, and access to professional resources. Nearly one in four AI users reported turning to AI during grief to help fill these gaps. While Gen Z reports the highest rate of using AI during grief (39%), willingness to embrace it extends well beyond the youngest generation: Millennials (50%) and Gen X (45%) are the most open to AI's role in grief overall, a pattern that points to a broad behavioral shift rather than a generational one.

"Grief touches nearly everyone, yet no two experiences of it are alike," said Yonatan Bergman, Co-Founder & CTO of Empathy. "We're not watching a rush to replace human care with AI; we're seeing people turn to any help they can find, because existing systems, however well-intentioned, simply don't show up for the complexity of loss. AI is already part of the journey, and integrating safeguards, transparency, context, expertise, and human judgment into that process is crucial. We know technology can deepen human connections when it matters most, and this understanding guides how we have integrated AI into Empathy's Loss Support and LifeVault products from the very beginning."

The Grief Support Gap Is Widening

The survey highlights several critical areas:

• People are lonely and turning to technology to cope: 20% said they had no one to turn to, and 22% wished for more emotional support from family or friends. For many, that void is part of what is driving them toward AI.
• Support systems are lacking, at work and beyond: 21% said they needed more time off or flexibility from work, and a quarter could not access or afford professional support such as therapy or legal services. Among those who used AI in grief, one in three turned to it for emotional comfort, and 28% of full-time workers said it helped them show up at work more effectively.
• Attitudes are opening up: among those who used AI in grief, 97% reported at least one positive impact. More broadly, 56% of respondents said they are comfortable with AI handling paperwork, finances, or logistics after a loss, and 56% are comfortable receiving grief information and coping guidance, even as many remain undecided or cautious about AI's role in these moments.

People Want Support From AI, But With Clear Boundaries

Despite growing openness to AI as a source of practical and emotional support during grief, respondents drew clear boundaries around the role technology should play in the grieving process. While many expressed comfort using AI for tasks such as paperwork assistance, grief education, and even memorial writing, the majority reject or feel uncomfortable with applications that seek to recreate the deceased, such as avatars and AI clones.

Respondents were also consistent about the ethical guardrails they expect. Eighty-six percent said AI tools should be transparent about what is real versus AI-generated, considering this essential; 80% said consent should be required before using a person's voice, likeness, or data; and 71% said grief-related AI tools should involve a grief counselor or therapist.

Empathy's Human Care, AI Powered

The findings show that AI is becoming part of the grief experience not because people are seeking to replace human support, but because existing support systems are insufficient or inaccessible. The same respondents who found value in AI were also clear about its limits: they welcomed help that extends access and eases the administrative burden of loss, but expected safeguards to keep it from causing harm.

Empathy has supported individuals through millions of interactions in moments of loss, a record that informs how the company builds, and where it sees the gaps most clearly. Where the research shows people improvising with general-purpose tools, Empathy is building purpose-built ones: AI shaped by the context, expertise, and insight that general AI tools lack, paired with human care at the moments only people can handle.

It's an approach Empathy describes as AI + Human Care, and one it has held since long before generative AI entered the mainstream: technology should do what technology does best, so its people can do what only humans can. For years, that meant applying AI behind the scenes, with systems like CareOS give Empathy's Care Team full context, continuity, and real-time guidance, absorbing the administrative weight of loss so care managers can focus on the moments that require human judgment and presence. Recently, as people have grown more open to AI in their most personal moments, Empathy has brought it to the foreground as well: its new LifeVault Conversations feature offers a private, AI-guided space to rehearse the difficult conversations loss demands, helping people find words and confidence ahead of time.

"No one wants to experience grief. But everyone deserves a system built to carry the weight of it," added Bergman. "AI is already part of how people navigate loss, and over the past six years we’ve learned from millions of interactions what the process really looks like. This new research shows people understand the tradeoffs too: they’re happy to let AI handle the paperwork, but for the hardest parts they want AI plus human care, together.”

To learn more about Empathy's Grief in the Age of AI report, visit https://www.empathy.com/grief-ai.

About Empathy

Empathy is a leading technology company transforming how people plan for and navigate life’s hardest moments, serving more than 50 million policyholders across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. Backed by $162 million from top-tier venture firms such as Index Ventures, General Catalyst, Adams Street Partners, and other leading funds, alongside strategic investments from global financial institutions, Empathy combines cutting-edge innovation with deep compassion to deliver unparalleled support for bereavement, estate management, legacy planning, and more. Recognized by Apple, Google Play, and Fast Company, Empathy is setting the standard for modern family care and workplace benefits through human care and purpose-built AI shaped by context, expertise, and insight. Learn more at empathy.com.

About the Research

Empathy's Grief in the Age of AI report was developed in partnership with Censuswide and is based on a quantitative survey of 6,002 adults across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom who have experienced grief and loss. Fieldwork was conducted May 7–18, 2026.