Ethical dilemmas and the reconstruction of subjectivity in digital mourning in the age of AI: an empirical study on the acceptance intentions of bereaved family members of cancer patients

IntroductionWith the rapid advancement of AI replication, virtual memorials, and affective computing technologies, digital mourning has emerged as a prevalent mode of psychological reconstruction for families coping with the loss of terminally ill patients. For family members of cancer patients, who often shoulder prolonged caregiving and complex ethical decisions, this process entails not only emotional trauma but also profound ethical dilemmas.MethodsThis study adopts the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) as its analytical framework, further integrating Foucauldian subjectivation theory and emotional-cognitive models. A structural path model was constructed to examine how ethical identification and grief perception influence the acceptance of AI-based digital mourning technologies. A total of 129 valid survey responses were collected and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM).ResultsThe findings indicate that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and ethical concern significantly predict users' intention to adopt digital mourning technologies. Additionally, grief perception not only influences adoption intention but also directly affects actual usage behavior.DiscussionThis study highlights that the acceptance of AI-based digital mourning technologies extends beyond instrumental rationality. It is shaped by the interplay of emotional vulnerability and moral tension. The results contribute to a deeper understanding of the ethical and psychological dimensions of posthumous AI applications and provide valuable insights for future human-AI interaction design, digital commemoration systems, and the governance of end-of-life technologies.