Osbournes Defend Ozzy's AI Avatar: More Than a 'Cash Grab,' It's About Legacy
The Osbourne family, led by Sharon and Jack Osbourne, is pushing back against accusations that the development of an AI avatar for rock legend Ozzy Osbourne is merely a cynical 'cash grab.' They argue the innovative technology is a vital...
Earlier this year, the Osbournes unveiled ambitious plans for an AI avatar of the 'Prince of Darkness' himself, Ozzy Osbourne. This announcement quickly sparked a debate, with critics questioning the motives behind leveraging such technology.
Addressing the controversy on a recent episode of The Osbournes podcast, Sharon Osbourne directly confronted claims that the family is exploiting new tech for financial gain.
Both Sharon and Jack Osbourne framed the AI avatar as a crucial technological advancement. Jack emphasized the urgency, noting, "if they don’t do it someone else will."
Jack also clarified the avatar's technical specifications, describing it as a "closed AI module" completely disconnected from the internet. "Someone said, ‘It’s dangerous, you can’t control,'" he recounted. "And I was like, ‘What the f*ck do you think this? Terminator?’ You think this is going to go sentient and the next thing you know Ozzy is going to launch the nukes?"
He added, "For me, it’s not about pretending he’s still alive."
Sharon quickly interjected, "He is still alive. He’s left us a body of work that will never die."
The family concurred that the primary objective is to ensure Ozzy is "never forgotten." "Technology moves on," Sharon stated, expressing little sympathy for those who misinterpret their intentions. "I’m sorry for those people who think it’s about the money."
She declared, "I’m not asking you to come. I don’t want your fcking money. I don’t need your fcking money. I’m doing very well."
Sharon also asserted that Ozzy himself would have fully endorsed the project. "For somebody to turn around to me and say I’m doing a cash grab? No, you don’t know my husband, OK?" she challenged. "I know my husband. My husband would say to me over and over, ‘After I go, how long do you think I’ll be remembered?'"
The project, announced in May, sees the Osbournes partnering with Hyperreal and Proto Hologram. The AI-powered avatar is designed to interact with fans and will be accessible via Proto Luma units across the U.K. and U.S. later this summer.
Jack Osbourne had previously addressed fan concerns during a livestream Q&A, assuring them, "it’s not gonna be f*cking lame." He detailed the complexity: "This isn’t just like hooking up an image of my dad to ChatGPT. This is some high-level technology that we’re gonna be working with, and it’s gonna feel very real, and it’s kind of wild how it will be utilized."
He further revealed that he had discussed similar concepts with his father before his passing. "It’s really cool and it’s something that I think my dad would be into," Jack said. "We actually talked about it before he passed, about doing something like this… I know he would be into this."
Remington Scott, CEO of Hyperreal, shared insights with Rolling Stone, explaining that the Ozzy avatar leverages patented technology for real-time operation. The company employs its proprietary "Digital DNA" technology to gather the necessary data.
"It can perform live, respond to audiences, and exist within interactive environments," Scott elaborated. "This isn’t pre-rendered content playing on a loop. It’s a living performance, built exclusively from authenticated source material: curated, consented, and controlled by the people closest to Ozzy."
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