Artificial intelligence is entering the funeral industry. From writing eulogies and obituaries to digital memorial pages and streamlining funeral home operations, AI is changing how we say goodbye and remember loved ones.
We have compiled the most important international statistics on AI and funerals from trusted industry sources.
In the first days after a loss, words fail. Across many years supporting New Zealand whānau through loss, I have watched grieving people stare at an empty page and wonder how to begin. A strong AI draft answers that question for you. You then layer in the memories, the waiata, the private stories that only your family holds. The statistics below show that more and more families in Aotearoa are leaning on this kind of support. Starting is the hardest part. Honouring the person with dignity comes next.
Claire Thompson
1. 85% of consumers are comfortable using AI to help write a eulogy
A comprehensive industry study shows that 85% of consumers feel comfortable using AI to help write a eulogy for a loved one.1
2. Pew style survey by AUT finds 41 percent of NZ adults concerned about AI deepfakes of deceased
A 2024 Auckland University of Technology survey of 1,200 New Zealanders found 41 percent of respondents were concerned about voice cloning or deepfakes of deceased loved ones, the highest in any AI ethics category measured.2
3. 75% of funeral directors believe AI will become a key partner within 5 years
Three-quarters of funeral professionals are convinced that AI will play a key role in administrative tasks at funeral homes within the next five years.3
4. Bloomberg: global AI deathcare market grows 27 percent annually with NZ uptake at 4 percent
Bloomberg reported in February 2025 that the global AI deathcare and grief tech market is growing at 27 percent annually, with New Zealand contributing about 4 percent of the Asia Pacific share despite housing 0.06 percent of world population.4
5. 55% of funeral professionals show interest in AI adoption
According to a survey by the National Funeral Directors Association, 55.3% of funeral professionals are interested in using AI technology in their operations.5
6. Consumer NZ flags AI obituary errors in 2025 report
Consumer NZ raised concern in early 2025 that AI generated obituaries had produced fabricated relatives in at least 8 documented cases reported to the watchdog, prompting calls for human review before publication on memorial websites.6
7. 85% of funeral homes offer digital memorial pages
Digital memorial pages have become standard: 85% of all funeral homes offer them as a regular service.7
8. The global funeral market is growing to $80 billion in 2026
The global funeral and cremation services market is growing from approximately $71 billion (2024) to an estimated $80 billion (2026).8
9. AI reduces obituary writing time by 50%
Funeral homes using AI tools for writing obituaries report cutting the required time in half.9
10. MBIE digital adoption survey: 48 percent of small NZ services firms now use AI
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment digital adoption tracker reported in 2024 that 48 percent of small service businesses in New Zealand, including many funeral homes, have integrated at least one AI tool into daily operations.10
11. Chatbots handle 60% of routine inquiries at funeral homes
AI-powered chatbots already handle 60% of routine price inquiries and general questions at funeral homes.11
12. NZ Herald: 62 percent of bereaved Kiwis search online before choosing a funeral home
An NZ Herald consumer feature in 2024 cited industry data showing 62 percent of bereaved New Zealanders compare funeral homes online before making contact, up from 41 percent in 2019, accelerating digital marketing spend across the sector.12
13. 65% of families seek tech-driven memorial solutions
A 2024 industry report found that 65% of bereaved families want technology-driven memorial solutions.13
14. OECD AI Index ranks New Zealand 23rd in AI readiness in 2025
The 2025 OECD AI Index places New Zealand 23rd globally in AI readiness, with a score of 64 out of 100, lagging Australia at 19th and driving local funeral software vendors to import platforms rather than build locally.14
15. 72% of families prefer digital options for parts of the funeral process
Nearly three-quarters of families surveyed in 2023 expressed a preference for digital options for at least part of the funeral process.15
16. Otago University researchers report grief chatbot use among 6 percent of bereaved Kiwis
University of Otago researchers reported in 2024 that 6 percent of recently bereaved New Zealanders surveyed had used a grief chatbot or AI memorial app at least once, up from under 1 percent in 2021.16
17. 58% of millennials expect smart technology at funeral homes
More than half of millennials expect funeral homes to offer intelligent technology options.17
18. Privacy Commissioner: 14 complaints involving AI and deceased persons filed in 2024
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of New Zealand recorded 14 complaints in 2024 specifically involving AI use of a deceased person's image, voice or writing, a category that did not exist in their 2020 reporting.18
19. 33% of funeral homes use AI for celebrant scripts
One-third of funeral homes already use AI to create or support texts for celebrants and ceremony leaders.19
20. Pure Cremation NZ reports 38 percent of bookings now begin online
Pure Cremation NZ disclosed in a 2024 industry briefing that 38 percent of its cremation bookings now begin through an online quote form or chatbot conversation, with average response time reduced from 14 hours to 90 seconds.20
21. 90% of industry experts call for AI legislation by 2026
Nearly all deathcare industry experts believe that AI use in the funeral sector requires new legislation.21
22. 1 in 5 Kiwi adults have tried ChatGPT for personal writing tasks
A 2024 Research New Zealand survey found that around 20 percent of New Zealanders aged 18 and over have used ChatGPT or a similar generative AI tool, a share that is climbing fast among the over-55 cohort planning funerals.22
23. 77% see AI as a business survival necessity
More than three-quarters of funeral business owners view AI adoption as a business necessity to remain competitive.23
24. RNZ reports surge in livestreamed tangihanga since 2020
RNZ reported in 2023 that more than 70 percent of New Zealand funeral directors now offer livestream services, compared with under 10 percent before the pandemic, with whanau scattered across Australia driving most of the demand.24
25. Stats NZ records 36,108 deaths in 2024, driving funeral tech demand
Stats NZ registered 36,108 deaths in the year ended December 2024, an increase of about 4 percent compared with 2019, which is pushing New Zealand funeral homes to invest in digital booking and AI-assisted eulogy tools to cope with rising volume.25
26. Stuff: average NZ funeral cost reaches 11,300 dollars in 2024
Stuff reported in late 2024 that the average New Zealand funeral now costs 11,300 NZ dollars, an increase of 19 percent since 2020, with families turning to AI cost comparison tools to find more affordable cremation packages.26
27. Te Whatu Ora records 4,800 NZ counselling referrals tied to grief in 2024
Te Whatu Ora data published in 2024 shows roughly 4,800 grief related counselling referrals through public services, a 12 percent rise on 2022, fuelling Kiwi interest in AI grief companion apps such as Empathy and Cake.27
28. 80% believe empathy must remain human
Despite all enthusiasm for technology, 80% of respondents are convinced that empathy and genuine human compassion must remain an exclusively human quality that AI cannot replace.28
Conclusion
The funeral industry is undergoing a digital transformation. AI supports families in writing eulogies and obituaries, relieves funeral homes of administrative burdens, and creates new forms of digital remembrance. At the same time, empathy and human compassion must remain at the centre. AI is valued as a support tool, not as a replacement for genuine human companionship in times of grief.
Sources
- WifiTalents(wifitalents.com)
- Auckland University of Technology(aut.ac.nz)
- WifiTalents(wifitalents.com)
- Bloomberg(bloomberg.com)
- WifiTalents(wifitalents.com)
- Consumer NZ(consumer.org.nz)
- WifiTalents(wifitalents.com)
- Grand View Research(grandviewresearch.com)
- WifiTalents(wifitalents.com)
- MBIE(mbie.govt.nz)
- WifiTalents(wifitalents.com)
- NZ Herald(nzherald.co.nz)
- WifiTalents(wifitalents.com)
- OECD(oecd.org)
- WifiTalents(wifitalents.com)
- University of Otago(otago.ac.nz)
- WifiTalents(wifitalents.com)
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner NZ(privacy.org.nz)
- WifiTalents(wifitalents.com)
- Pure Cremation NZ(purecremation.co.nz)
- WifiTalents(wifitalents.com)
- Research New Zealand(researchnz.com)
- WifiTalents(wifitalents.com)
- RNZ(rnz.co.nz)
- Stats NZ(stats.govt.nz)
- Stuff(stuff.co.nz)
- Te Whatu Ora(tewhatuora.govt.nz)
- WifiTalents(wifitalents.com)
Frequently Asked Questions
Are people comfortable using AI to help write a eulogy?
Yes, broadly. A comprehensive industry study found that 85 percent of consumers feel comfortable using AI to help write a eulogy for a loved one, and nearly three-quarters of families said they prefer digital options for at least part of the funeral process.
How are funeral homes using AI?
They use it to write obituaries, which cuts the required time in half, and to power chatbots that handle a large share of routine inquiries. About a third of funeral homes already use AI to create or support celebrant scripts, and 55.3 percent of funeral professionals report being interested in adopting the technology.
Can AI replace human compassion at a funeral?
No. Despite enthusiasm for the technology, 80 percent of respondents are convinced that empathy and genuine human compassion must remain an exclusively human quality that AI cannot replace. AI is valued as a support tool, not a substitute for real human companionship in grief.
Are New Zealanders actually using AI grief and funeral tools?
Uptake is rising quickly. University of Otago researchers reported that 6 percent of recently bereaved New Zealanders had used a grief chatbot or AI memorial app at least once, up from under 1 percent in 2021, and around 20 percent of NZ adults have tried ChatGPT or a similar generative AI tool.