Can Artificial Intelligence write a Funeral Notice?
by Richard Howlett
• Published 16/10/2023
Artificial Intelligence, or A.I., has been in the media a lot recently. It’s a technology that has been around for a while, but has become more widely available thanks to websites like Chat GPT and Google Bard.
But what can you really do with these publicly accessible A.I. programs?
In its simplest form, you can get A.I. to write an essay for you, suggest good titles for your blogs, or even write a Funeral Notice for you.
Now, we like to think we know Funeral Notices pretty well, so we decided to test Chat GPT and see if they could write a good Funeral Notice. I started off by asking:
Can you write a funeral notice for a family member who has died
The response said that it could, but first it needed some details like name, date of birth, date of death, and any other details I’d like to include. I entered the following made up details:
Name: John Smith, Date of Birth: 17/05/1964, Date of Death: 19/09/2023, Wife: Jane, Children: Jack and Jenny
I think I expected it to come back with something quite simple and straightforward, but it actually produced something a lot longer and more detailed than I ever imagined. It included all the details I had given it, along with extra aspects I would hope for, such as a place to include the time and date of the funeral, and whether flowers or donations were being asked for, but then it also included some extra detail that I wasn’t expecting.
John's passion for life was evident to all who knew him. Whether he was tending to his garden, cheering on his favourite sports teams, or sharing stories with friends and family, he brought joy to every moment. He had an infectious laughter that could light up any room, and his warm smile could comfort anyone in need.
Tending to his garden and cheering on his favourite sports teams? Laughter that could light up any room? They seem like very specific details to include when I never mentioned them, but I guess they could be used as prompts that you can delete and change as applicable. Personal details definitely do make a Funeral Notice stand out and be more meaningful, so it’s not a bad suggestion at all.
I decided to try another approach, so I started again and this time I asked:
Can you give me a template for a funeral notice
And that’s just what it did!
I’ll add the whole response below so that you can see what it gave me, but I have to say that I was impressed, and I think A.I. could be a great tool for people who are struggling to know what to say.
[Name of the Deceased]
In Loving Memory
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved [Name of the Deceased], who left us on [Date of Passing]. [He/She] departed this world surrounded by [his/her] loving family and friends.
Funeral Service Details:
Date: [Date of Funeral Service]
Time: [Time of Funeral Service]
Location: [Name and Address of Funeral Venue]
Obituary:
[Write a brief obituary that includes key details about the deceased, such as birthdate, place of birth, accomplishments, hobbies, and other relevant information. You may also mention surviving family members and predeceased loved ones.]
Memorial Contributions:
[If there are specific charities or organisations that the family would like donations to be made to in lieu of flowers, mention them here.]
Condolences:
[Include information on how friends and family can send condolences or share their memories. You may mention an online memorial page, mailing address, or any other preferred method.]
The family of [Name of the Deceased] would like to express their gratitude for all the love and support during this difficult time. Your kind words and presence have been a source of comfort.
In our hearts, [Name of the Deceased] will forever be remembered for [his/her] [list qualities or attributes]. [He/She] touched the lives of many and will be greatly missed.
Contact Information:
[Provide contact information for the family or a designated representative in case people have questions or wish to offer condolences.]
Please adapt this template to your specific needs, including adding personal details about the deceased and any other relevant information. It's important to convey the individual's life and legacy in a way that feels meaningful to those who will read the notice.
