If you used HereAfter AI, or were planning to, its closure in July 2026 may have felt like another small loss on top of a big one. This page explains, as plainly as we can, what changed, what to look for in any grief AI service, and where RevAIved fits, including where it doesn’t.
What happened to HereAfter AI
HereAfter AI let people record interviews about their lives while they were still alive, so their family could later ask questions and hear those recorded answers. The service closed in July 2026. It wasn’t the first: StoryFile, which made interactive video recordings, filed for bankruptcy in 2024. The lesson is hard but simple. Memories kept in an app are only as safe as the company behind it.
If you saved any recordings, transcripts or photos, keep copies somewhere you control: a computer, an external drive, a shared family folder. They belong to you, whatever happens to any app, including ours.
What to look for in a grief AI service
Whichever service you choose, these are the questions we would ask first:
- Can I get my data out? Look for a clear way to export or request a copy of everything you have shared.
- Can I delete everything? Deleting your account should remove your data, not just hide it.
- What happens if they close? A responsible service commits to giving you notice before it shuts down.
- Is it honest about being an AI? It should never pretend to be the person, and it should tell you plainly that it can get things wrong.
- What happens in a crisis? Grief can be heavy. The service should point you to real people when you need them.
- How does it make money? Be wary of designs that make you pay to keep talking to someone you love. A genuinely free tier matters.
- Where is my data, and who processes it? You should know where it is hosted and which AI provider writes the replies.
How RevAIved is different
RevAIved works differently from HereAfter. Instead of recording someone during their life, you describe a person you have already lost (their phrases, their stories, their sense of humour), add photos, and write to an AI persona that writes back in a way that feels like them and remembers what you share.
Honest that it’s an AI
It is always an AI, never the person. Replies are generated by OpenAI from what you have told us, and they can sometimes get details wrong. We would rather say that up front.
Free forever, without pressure
The Echo plan is free forever: one persona, 30 messages a day and 25 photos in memory, with full safety and crisis support. Companion ($12.99/month) and Legacy ($29.99/month) add more personas and unlimited messages. Your first persona stays free, whichever plan you choose. See all plans.
Your data stays yours
Your data is hosted in the EU, encrypted in transit and at rest, never sold and never used to train AI. It is not end-to-end encrypted, because OpenAI has to read your messages to write a reply. You can request a copy of your personas, chats, memories and photos at any time by emailing privacy@revaived.com, and you can delete your account from inside the app. Our Terms commit us to at least 30 days’ notice if we ever close the service. Details are in our Privacy Policy.
Built with grief counselors, and not therapy
RevAIved was built with grief counselors, but it is not therapy. If a conversation suggests you may be in crisis, the persona steps out of character and points you to real help.
What it can’t do yet
RevAIved is text and photos today. Voice replies, video moments and family sharing are coming soon, and we won’t pretend otherwise. If what you need most is to hear a recorded voice, keep those recordings safe. You can still share the stories and phrases in them with a persona.
Other services people compare
You may also come across Project December, You Only Virtual, Seance AI, Replika and StoryFile. They take different approaches: some focus on recordings made during a person’s life, some on open-ended AI chat, and some are general AI companions that were not designed for grief. Features, prices and availability change often, so check each service’s own site, and the questions above, before you share anything precious.
Is talking to an AI of someone who died right for you?
For some people, writing to a persona feels like a letter that finally gets an answer. For others, it can make a loss harder to accept. Both are okay. Go gently, keep the real people in your life close, and step back if it starts to hurt more than it helps. Our FAQ answers more questions about griefbots, privacy and grief.
If you are struggling, please talk to a counselor or someone you trust. In an emergency, call 112 (EU) or your local emergency number. In the US, call or text 988. Or find a helpline near you at findahelpline.com.