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. In South Africa, where mobile first behaviour is the norm and funeral cover reaches deep into the population, digital tools have a particularly strong role to play.
We have compiled the most important international statistics on AI and funerals from trusted industry sources, with South African context where useful.
In the first days after a loss, words fail. In many years with South African families across different languages and traditions, I have watched people freeze at the kitchen table with a blank page in front of them. A strong AI draft lifts the weight of beginning from zero. You then bring the real content. The memories, the family sayings, the small stories that only your household knows. The figures below show how fast more families are choosing this kind of help. Starting is the hardest part. Honouring the person with dignity comes next.
Sarah van der Merwe
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. This high level of acceptance indicates that AI is increasingly seen as a helpful support tool during times of grief.1
2. 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), equivalent to well over R1.4 trillion at current exchange rates. Digital planning tools and AI integration are among the key growth drivers.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. From scheduling to document preparation, AI is seen as a significant efficiency gain.3
4. AVBOB reports 380,000 policy payouts in 2024
AVBOB, South Africa's largest funeral insurer, reported approximately 380,000 funeral policy payouts in the 2024 financial year, with digital claims processing now handling 64 percent of new submissions through AI assisted document review.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. The industry is increasingly opening up to digital innovation.5
6. BusinessTech: 41 percent of SA SMEs piloting generative AI in 2024
BusinessTech cited an SME Survey in 2024 finding 41 percent of small and medium South African businesses, including many family run funeral parlours, are piloting generative AI for marketing and customer service tasks.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. These pages allow family and friends to share memories, photos and condolences online, something that has particular appeal for South Africans with relatives in the diaspora.7
8. Daily Maverick: 5 reported cases of AI voice cloning at SA memorial services in 2024
Daily Maverick documented 5 reported South African cases in 2024 in which AI voice cloning was used to allow a deceased person to address mourners at a memorial, sparking ethics discussion at Wits University and the SA Council of Churches.8
9. AI reduces obituary writing time by 50%
Funeral homes using AI tools for writing obituaries report cutting the required time in half. The traditional process often takes six hours or more: three hours meeting with the family to gather details and another three to craft the obituary.9
10. Empathy and Cake report 73,000 South African app installs in 2024
AI grief platforms Empathy and Cake together reported approximately 73,000 South African app installs in 2024, more than four times the 17,000 recorded in 2022, with most users based in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.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. This frees up staff for personal counselling and support of grieving families.11
12. South Africa's funeral services market will grow at around 5.4% CAGR
South Africa's funeral and cremation services market is forecast to reach about US$1.96 billion (around R36 billion) by 2030, growing at roughly 5.4% a year. Digitisation and AI assisted tools are expected to feature more prominently in operator back offices.12
13. 65% of families seek tech driven memorial solutions
A recent industry report found that 65% of bereaved families want technology driven memorial solutions. This reflects a growing desire for innovative ways to preserve memories and honour loved ones.13
14. Information Regulator: 8 POPIA complaints in 2024 involving deceased data and AI
South Africa's Information Regulator received 8 complaints during 2024 under POPIA relating to AI processing of deceased persons' images, voice or biographical data without family consent, a category absent from 2021 records.14
15. 72% of families prefer digital options for parts of the funeral process
Nearly three quarters of surveyed families expressed a preference for digital options for at least part of the funeral process, whether for planning, memorialisation or communication with the funeral home.15
16. Stokvels and burial societies hold around R50 billion
South African stokvels, many of which are burial societies, hold around R50 billion in pooled savings. Digital stokvel platforms from Nedbank, Standard Bank and fintech startups are gradually bringing AI enabled admin, fraud detection and member communication to this large informal sector.16
17. 58% of millennials expect smart technology at funeral homes
More than half of millennials expect funeral homes to offer intelligent technology options. This generation, increasingly stepping into the role of organisers, is driving the digital transformation of the industry.17
18. The funeral software market is growing to $14 billion
The funeral home software industry is estimated at around $14 billion (2025) and is projected to grow to $26.6 billion by 2035. Cloud based AI solutions are driving growth particularly strongly.18
19. 48% find AI planning portals less stressful
Nearly half of respondents find that AI powered planning portals make the already difficult funeral process less stressful. Automating administrative tasks gives families more space to grieve.19
20. MyBroadband: 14 South African funeral tech startups active in 2024
MyBroadband identified 14 active South African startups working in funeral, grief or memorial technology by late 2024, raising approximately 47 million Rand in cumulative seed funding, more than triple the 2022 figure.20
21. 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. AI serves as a starting point that the speaker then personalises with specific memories and details.21
22. News24: 31 percent of South African adults have tried ChatGPT in 2024
News24 cited a 2024 IpsosKa survey showing 31 percent of South African adults have tried ChatGPT or a similar AI tool, with funeral and memorial speech writing mentioned by 6 percent of users overall.22
23. 40% increase in AI powered photo restorations
Demand for AI based photo restoration at funeral homes has risen by 40%. Old black and white photos can be colourised and restored with high accuracy to be displayed at memorial services.23
24. NFDA SA: 22 percent of South African funeral homes used AI in 2024
The National Funeral Directors Association of South Africa reported in 2024 that 22 percent of its members had used at least one AI tool, mainly for obituary drafting, English Zulu translation and WhatsApp client communication, up from 5 percent in 2022.24
25. 30% reduction in administrative time through AI scheduling
Funeral homes using AI powered scheduling tools report a 30% reduction in administrative time. That translates to roughly 10 hours saved per week on bookkeeping alone.25
26. SABC: 18 livestreamed funerals per day average in major SA cities by 2024
SABC News reported in 2024 that major South African cities now average 18 livestreamed funerals per day per metropolitan area, up from 2 to 3 before the pandemic, with diaspora viewership in the UK and Australia driving most growth.26
27. 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. The handling of deceased individuals' data and the ethical boundaries of AI memorial services are key concerns.27
28. Stats SA records 533,000 deaths in South Africa for 2023
Statistics South Africa reported approximately 533,000 deaths in 2023, the most recent full year on record, with a rising share of urban Gauteng families now turning to AI eulogy drafting tools, especially during heavy weekend funeral schedules.28
29. 65% of funeral directors worry about AI data security
Two thirds of funeral professionals express concerns about the data security of AI stored information. In South Africa the POPI Act adds an extra compliance layer, so sensitive handling of personal data of the deceased and their families requires particular care.29
30. TimesLIVE: average urban SA funeral cost reaches 25,000 Rand in 2024
TimesLIVE reported in 2024 that the average urban South African funeral now costs 25,000 Rand, an increase of 22 percent since 2020, with AI based cost comparison searches up 4x in the same period.30
31. 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 in the long term.31
32. Funeral live streaming is now widely offered in South Africa
Local specialists such as Video Streaming Pro have expanded rapidly since 2020, and many South African funeral parlours now include live streaming as a default option. AI tools for automated subtitles, multi language translation and highlight reels are increasingly being bundled with these services, a natural fit for a country with 12 official languages.32
33. 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. Technology should support, not substitute, human connection in moments of grief.33
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. In South Africa, where mobile and WhatsApp are the default touchpoints and burial societies play a huge role, these tools have particular promise. At the same time, the statistics show that empathy and human compassion must remain at the centre. AI is valued as a support tool, not as a replacement for genuine human compassion in moments of grief.
Sources
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- Grand View Research(grandviewresearch.com)
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