Updated
Updated · Rolling Stone · Jun 9
Sharon Osbourne Defends AI Ozzy Avatar, Says Summer 2026 Rollout Is No Cash Grab
Updated
Updated · Rolling Stone · Jun 9

Sharon Osbourne Defends AI Ozzy Avatar, Says Summer 2026 Rollout Is No Cash Grab

3 articles · Updated · Rolling Stone · Jun 9

Summary

  • Sharon Osbourne said criticism of the AI Ozzy project as a money-making ploy is wrong, arguing on The Osbournes podcast that she does not need the money and that Ozzy would have backed it.
  • Jack Osbourne said the avatar is a closed AI module not connected to the internet, pushing back on fears it could spiral beyond control or be used to pretend Ozzy is still alive.
  • May's partnership with Hyperreal and Proto Hologram will put the AI-powered Prince of Darkness in Proto Luma units across the U.K. and U.S. later this summer, where fans will be able to speak with it.
  • Hyperreal says its patented Digital DNA system lets the avatar respond in real time using authenticated, consented source material, framing the project as a controlled interactive performance built to preserve Ozzy's legacy.

Insights

The Osbourne AI is a 'closed module,' but what stops a person's 'Digital DNA' from eventually being sold, hacked, or misused?
If AI can perfectly resurrect the dead, does it truly honor their legacy or just create a controllable puppet for the living?