Sharon Osbourne is currently under fire after she revealed she was in the works of helping to create an artificial-intelligence-based avatar of her late husband, Ozzy Osbourne.
Less than a year after his passing, the media personality announced that she and the musician’s son would be creating the avatar, which would look and sound a lot like him. In interviews and more, the duo has expressed that they’re not doing it for money, though many social media users are against the AI project entirely, calling it “terrifying” and more. Read more about the situation and how fans of the musician reacted below.
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Sharon & Jack Osbourne Reveal They're Creating An AI-Generated Version Of Ozzy Osbourne
One of the most notable moments in the music industry over the last year was the death of rock legend Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away at 76 years old on July 22nd last year.
Since then, many people have been mourning his loss, performing some of his music at various events in his honor, storytelling, and more. Of course, those who are missing him most are his family members, especially his wife of 43 years, Sharon, and his six kids, including Aimee, Jack, and Kelly. However, it looks like the famous widow and her son have a project ready in order to ensure they will always remember him, specifically his appearance and the sound of his voice.
Recently, it was reported that the mother-son duo was in the process of partnering with two companies, including one that creates holograms, to make an AI-generated, hologram version of Ozzy. This hologram will recreate his appearance and voice using advanced technology and will be displayed in Proto Luma units in both the U.K. and the U.S. this summer.
Sharon Osbourne Defends The AI Ozzy As Social Media Accuses Her Of Doing It For Money
It didn't take long for the news about the AI-generated Prince of Darkness to stir up some controversy on social media.
Over the last few years, creating holographic or AI versions of artists after their passing has become a very debatable topic, one that was especially triggered when it was revealed that the late Amy Winehouse's dad had planned to have a hologram of his daughter go on tour in 2018. The backlash was so intense, with people defending the artist and her not having a choice in the matter, that the tour was canceled.
Fans of the Black Sabbath vocalist reacted to the news about Ozzy in a very similar way on various social media platforms, calling it "terrifying" and a "cash grab" on X.
"If you thought Ozzy's death would put an end to his family monetizing him, the Ozzy AI chatbot would beg to differ!" wrote a user.
"He hasn't even been gone a year," added another. "This is disgusting."
On a recent episode of the rock music family's popular podcast, The Osbournes, Sharon addressed the backlash surrounding her decision, saying she felt "sorry" for those who thought it was about money.
"He is still alive," she said. "He's left us a body of work that will never die." "I'm not asking you to come," she added, saying she doesn't "want" or "need" anyone's money. "I'm not doing very well...For somebody to turn around to me and say I'm doing a cash grab? No, you don't know my husband, OK? I know my husband. My husband would say to me over and over, 'After I go, how long do you think I'll be remembered?'"
