While conversational agents have traditionally been used for simple
tasks such as scheduling meetings and customer service support,
recent advancements have led researchers to examine their use in
complex social situations, such as to provide emotional support
and companionship. For mourners who could be vulnerable to the
sense of loneliness and disruption of self-identity, such technology
offers a unique way to help them cope with grief. In this study, we
explore the potential benefits and risks of such a practice, through
semi-structured interviews with 10 mourners who actively used
chatbots at different phases of their loss. Our findings indicated
seven approaches in which chatbots were used to help people cope
with grief, by taking the role of listener, acting as a simulation of
the deceased, romantic partner, friend and emotion coach. We then
highlight how interacting with the chatbots impacted mourners’
grief experience, and conclude the paper with further research
opportunities.
