Using artificial intelligence thanabots as “thanatobots” to assist anatomy learning and professional development: Ghosts masquerading as opportunity?

Abstract

It has not happened yet, but it may be just around the corner: the development of thanabots, digital representations of deceased persons created by artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, and their adoption as educational adjuncts for students in anatomy education. To equip anatomy educators with information to allow them to assess this new technology, this article provides an overview of thanabot technology, together with practical and ethical considerations regarding their use in anatomy education. The new term "thanatobot" describes thanabot use in this hypothetical application. For instructive clarity, this thought experiment is limited to thanatobots trained on donors' medical records and supported by anatomy education software. If used, potential benefits might include enhancing learning via linking medical history to anatomical findings and clinical reasoning through personalized teaching assistance. They may support professional development by facilitating humanistic engagement and illuminating donors as people rather than objects. However, their use produces significant risks, including known adverse psychological effects. Thanatabots may inadvertently reduce donors to inauthentic digital proxies, paradoxically harming humanistic engagement, and negatively impacting learning outcomes. AI errors associated with generated content may hinder accurate learning, while cultural sensitivities around engagement with the dead may be violated. Further issues include identifying appropriate operational thanatobot parameters, ethical data management, concerns around appropriate consent, and a lack of legislative oversight. Any responsible educational use of thanabots in education must carefully explore their psychological and social impacts. Ethical, cultural, and pedagogical challenges around thanatobot development should be critically examined prior to any incorporation into anatomy education.

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