Resurrecting the Digital Dead: Ethical Boundaries of AI and Theological Insights of the Russian Religious Renaissance

Artificial intelligence is poised to transform not only how we live but also how we die, with emerging “Death Tech” applications—such as deadbots, deepfake memorials, and AI-driven resurrection/immortality projects—reshaping postmortem experiences. Global warning that AI dominance could make one the “ruler of the world” takes on new significance in this context, as these technologies raise profound ethical questions about the dignity of the dead, freedom, and the sacredness of death. To critically assess these challenges, this paper turns to two thinkers from the Russian Religious Renaissance (RRR)—Nikolai Fedorov (1829–1903) and Fr. Sergius Bulgakov (1871–1944)—whose theological engagement with technology, death, and resurrection offers a counterpoint to the consumerist logic driving the Death Tech industry. Fedorov’s vision of a “Common Task” to overcome death through science and Bulgakov’s warnings against mangodhood and criticism of Fedorov provide insights into evaluating what is gained and what is lost in digitizing the afterlife and attempts to resurrect the dead.