Global Bioethics · Published 2026-07-21 · DOI 10.1080/11287462.2026.2699487
Nancy S. Jecker, Jing-Bao Nie, Anita Ho
This paper explores what Confucius might say about the use of generative AI-based digital doppelgängers in healthcare for patients who are newly dead, dying, or comatose. We focus on the use of these technologies to support patients’ family members, loved ones, and surrogate decision-makers. Since Confucian approaches are largely missing from bioethics discussions of AI-based digital doppelgängers and patient preference predictors, this paper helps to fill an important gap. Section I introduces three cases involving digital doppelgängers representing people who are newly dead, dying, or comatose. Section II considers a Confucian response to the three cases. Section III applies Confucian values to a further situation, where the digital doppelgänger for a comatose patient functions as a patient preference predictor helping with a surrogate decision for a comatose patient. Section IV sets forth ethical benchmarks for using digital doppelgängers in healthcare. Section V recommends proceeding with caution and highlights the importance of further understanding the benefits and risks of using these tools in diverse cultural contexts.
Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
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Jecker, N., Nie, J., Ho, A. (2026). What might Confucius say? Digital doppelgängers for people who are newly dead, dying, or comatose. Global Bioethics. https://doi.org/10.1080/11287462.2026.2699487