2025-03-20
Melissa Riggs
This paper explores how grief is intertwined within artificial intelligence (AI) and other digital areas. It examines concepts such as the griefbot, an AI used to provide communication between the deceased and the bereaved, digital online memorial spaces to commemorate those who have passed, and digital immortality. While griefbots provide comfort to those who have lost a loved one, questions surrounding ethics of use, such as obtaining the consent of the deceased, using the deceased’s data, and respecting their privacy, remain relevant. The digital afterlife industry, which includes online memorials, puts into question several societal challenges. These challenges can lead to debates over who “deserves” the most to have access data and digital spaces. Capitalism and digital immortality may reveal power dynamics with the deceased. For instance, business leaders and public figures may leave behind a digital legacy to continue to wield authority beyond the life of their physical bodies. As societies continue to merge aspects of human lives (and deaths) into the digital world, we must address issues of consent, privacy, and equitable access. Grieving and remembrance must not be lost in the digital age.
2025-02-03
Sareh Rahmati
Life expectancy reflects a multitude of factors and mirrors the cultural, social, economic, and health conditions prevalent in a society. Calculated at birth, life expectancy is the average number of years an individual anticipates living. The focus of this inquiry is to understand the distinctive contributions of public healthcare expenditures and household healthcare costs in individual Canadian provinces and their implications for life expectancy trend. A random effects regression approach to panel data model, which assumes individual differences are random and not correlated with the independent variables, was applied to analyze the relationship between independent variables, public healthcare expenditure, household healthcare spending, , education levels on life expectancy as dependent variable. Data were collected for nine Canadian provinces, grouped according to life expectancy, public healthcare expenditure, household healthcare spending, , and education levels, over 16 years (2007-2022). Results show a positive correlation between household healthcare spending, , and education levels with life expectancy, while there is a negative correlation between public healthcare expenditure and life expectancy. The findings of this study suggest the need for efficient allocation of public health funds, support for household healthcare expenditures, economic growth, and investment in education to improve health outcomes. Policymakers may consider these findings to formulate comprehensive strategies that address the diverse determinants of health and enhance the overall well-being of Canadians. Keywords: life expectancy, public healthcare expenditure, household healthcare spending