Employees are turning to AI for grief support, but what does that say about workplace bereavement? 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used to write emails, summarise meetings and improve productivity. But new research suggests employees are also turning to AI for something far more personal – support during grief. 

An international study from Empathy found that almost one in four people who use AI have already used it while grieving, seeking everything from emotional comfort and practical guidance to help navigate the administrative burden that follows the death of a loved one.  

At first glance, it appears to be another example of AI becoming embedded in everyday life. Yet the findings tell a much bigger story. 

Rather than signalling that people want technology to replace human support, the report suggests AI is increasingly filling gaps left by existing support systems – including those available through the workplace. 

For employers, the research raises important questions about whether current approaches to bereavement support remain fit for purpose. 

Grief remains one of the least supported workplace experiences 

Bereavement affects almost every employee at some point during their working life, yet it often remains one of the least discussed areas of workplace wellbeing. 

The report, based on responses from more than 6,000 bereaved adults across the UK, US and Canada, found only 31 per cent of respondents felt they had all the support they needed while grieving.  

Family and friends remain the primary source of support, with 57 per cent relying on family and 44 per cent on friends. However, many respondents said something was still missing. 

More than one in five (22 per cent) wished they had received greater emotional support from family or friends, while 21 per cent said they needed more time away from work or greater flexibility. Fifteen per cent wanted access to face-to-face counselling that they could not obtain.  

Perhaps most strikingly from a workplace perspective, just 13 per cent identified paid bereavement leave as a source of support during their grief.  

Together, the findings suggest that, while organisations have made significant progress supporting mental health in recent years, bereavement may still represent a blind spot within many workplace wellbeing strategies. 

Why employees are turning to AI 

Against that backdrop, AI is emerging as an accessible source of support. 

Among people who used AI while grieving, emotional comfort was the most common reason, followed by faster access to information, practical assistance and situations where professional support was unavailable or unaffordable. One in five said they simply had no one else to turn to.  

People were most likely to use AI-powered chatbots for emotional conversations, while others used it to help complete practical tasks such as paperwork or preserve memories following the death of a loved one.  

Importantly, the research suggests AI is not replacing human relationships. 

Instead, it is providing support during moments when friends, colleagues, professional services or employers are unavailable. 

As grief expert David Kessler notes within the report: “Grief doesn’t keep business hours. People fall apart at 2 a.m., on a Tuesday, when no one picks up.”  

That observation has clear implications for employers increasingly considering how technology fits within workplace wellbeing. 

Technology cannot replace compassion 

While many respondents reported positive experiences, the research also highlights clear limits to what AI should do. 

Almost every AI user (97 per cent) reported at least one positive outcome, including emotional comfort, feeling less alone and being better able to talk about grief with others. Around one in four said AI helped them feel more prepared to return to work and everyday responsibilities, while 28 per cent of full-time employees believed it helped them show up more effectively at work.  

However, many also expressed concerns. Twenty-eight per cent worried about becoming emotionally dependent on AI, one quarter said interactions felt artificial and others questioned whether the technology crossed appropriate emotional boundaries.  

The findings reinforce an important distinction. Employees appear open to AI supporting practical tasks, providing information and offering guidance, but remain significantly less comfortable with technology attempting to replicate human relationships or simulate deceased loved ones. 

The case for hybrid support 

One of the report’s strongest conclusions is that AI should complement, not replace, human care. 

Across every generation, respondents consistently said consent, transparency and human oversight were essential when using AI in grief support. More than seven in ten wanted grief professionals involved, while similar numbers supported family authorisation and clear safeguards around how AI is used.  

For employers, this reflects a broader trend already emerging across workplace wellbeing. 

Technology is becoming increasingly valuable in helping employees access information quickly, navigate complex processes and find support when they need it. But when employees face deeply personal experiences such as bereavement, compassion, flexibility and human connection remain irreplaceable. 

The challenge for organisations is therefore unlikely to be whether AI belongs in workplace wellbeing but instead, it is determining where technology adds value and where people must remain at the centre of support. Employees are often turning to AI because support is unavailable, inaccessible or difficult to navigate when they need it most. 

As organisations continue investing in employee wellbeing, the findings suggest bereavement deserves greater attention alongside mental health, financial wellbeing and physical health. 

That may mean reviewing bereavement leave policies, improving manager confidence in supporting grieving colleagues, offering greater flexibility during periods of loss and ensuring employees know where to access specialist support. 

The report concludes that the future of grief support is unlikely to be defined by technology alone. And perhaps the biggest lesson is this: employees are not asking organisations to replace compassion with AI. They are asking for support that is available when they need it, practical enough to help them navigate one of life’s most difficult experiences and human enough to recognise that grief cannot be managed through technology alone.