Indians turn to ChatGPT-style bots for grieving guidance
By The BriefBrief
After a 2024 Alaska car crash killed a 27-year-old niece of a Chennai yoga instructor’s family, relatives sought help from a high-profile guru and were told the death was karma. When that advice felt cruel, they turned to AI chatbots using sacred texts such as the Bhagavad Gita for answers.
WHO:Kripa Vaidyanathan and her family in Chennai
WHAT:The family turned to AI chatbots for guidance after grieving a death they said they struggled to understand.
WHEN:Reported Aug 28, 2026 at 9:44 PM ET
WHERE:Alaska, USA
WHY:They sought answers after the niece’s death and found the guru’s karma-based message unhelpful during fresh grieving.
Reporting from 1 identified publisher for this event.
