The Right to be Forgotten, The Right to be Remembered: AI & Norm Creation in Jewish Thought

This paper explores the emerging phenomenon of AI-based simulations of the dead and the ethical issues they raise, particularly in a Jewish context. The capacity of AI to mimic styles from limited data offers potential therapeutic and memorialization benefits, yet also presents serious concerns. Central among these are questions of consent, privacy, the integrity of data-driven identities, and disruptions to the grieving process. Within Jewish tradition, the decentralized nature of authority and the reliance on historical precedent complicate the establishment of new norms. The author proposes two guiding principles—a right to be remembered and a right to be forgotten—and shows that these principles can be grounded in Jewish sources. Drawing on examples from twentieth-century and medieval Jewish history, the paper outlines how entirely new moral norms can be developed in response to unprecedented ethical dilemmas.