To use ChatGPT to write a eulogy

Can't you just talk about their relationship with their grandchildren, was that good? It doesn't need to be about you and the family.

I think it would be better to say nothing than to say that?

Ladies and gentlemen,
We gather here today to remember and reflect upon the life of [Name], who has passed away. While it is never easy to say goodbye, we must acknowledge the inevitable passage of time and the cycles of life.
[Name] was a person who lived, and now we remember that life. They were born on [Date of Birth] and passed away on [Date of Passing]. In the span of their existence, they experienced the joys and challenges that come with being human.
During their time on this Earth, [Name] interacted with family, friends, and acquaintances. Some of these interactions were positive, while others may have been less so. [Name] was an individual with their own unique personality, interests, and quirks.
They lived in [Place of Residence] for most of their life and worked in various jobs throughout their career. [Name] had hobbies and pastimes that they enjoyed, such as [Hobby/Interest]. They may have also been a member of [Community or Social Group], where they participated in [Activity/Role].
In their later years, [Name] faced health challenges that eventually led to their passing. These challenges were met with the support and care of their loved ones, for which we are grateful.
In conclusion, we remember [Name] today as a person who lived, experienced life, and left their mark on the world in their own way. While their life may have been unremarkable to some, it was meaningful to those who knew them best.
As we bid farewell to [Name], let us take a moment to appreciate the simple fact of their existence and the impact they had, however small, on the lives of those around them. May they rest in peace.
Thank you for joining us in this moment of reflection.

This is much better IMO. And there's very little about kindness/humour just facts that are neutral. Apart from some bits about 'support and care' but nothing too sweet.

I asked ChatGPt for a 'bland eulogy'.

That's clearly a diss OP!
Personally I think a bland eulogy with the standard nice things, a bit like a Bayliss and Harding Gift Set is more damning than having a 'flowery' but 'trying hard to be positive' one like this.
What makes speeches touching is personal stories... 'tell them about a time when'..
If you have no memories, your own memories/impressions to share that's far more telling of how unpleasant they were.

That's flipping hilarious! Send that to your relatives and see what they think.

I think it's too harsh. Sorry. You have to remember that other people in the room may feel differently, and you are representing everyone in some ways. I'd refer to the complexity and struggle, but not repeat it or overdo it. Say some stuff she liked to do, for instance.

It is. But so are most templated things, which involve standard wording and a recitation of personal characteristics.
It's easy to write an 'original' speech by using personal anecdotes for the majority of it and some templated intros and exits.

When you really have nothing to say I think a template works best, the alternative ends up cringy very quickly.

@MotherEarthisaTerf I presume that's what OP meant by 'tweaked'.

I was going to say YANBU but I agree with your family members about it not being authentic.

If you were to put into chat gpt some true-isms about the person about what they were like, what difficulties they had - where they were born, things they were proud of etc it would probably write you a very sympathetic sensitive eulogy so just give it a couple of different prompts and try again

ChatGPT is really obvious for anyone who uses it, even after tweaks most of the time. I'd be more concerned about what that implies...

But I'd not read anything that was incorrect. It's fair enough to not say anything horrible, or point out any negatives; but I also wouldn't lie. Don't call them funny or lighthearted if those things aren't true. If your family have picked up on those things not being accurate, chances are that others will too; including their young family members.

YANBU OP!
Even before ChatGPT most people cobble something together from templates. ChatGPT basically automates that process.

Everyone uses chat GTP for everything nowadays and then just adapts it. It's fine.

It's no different to going through the newspaper to see what other people have written in eulogies and using that.

It's robotic and souless. I would be horrified.

Dh's eulogy was beautiful. It was written and delivered by a celebrant after he spent 30 mins with me asking a few stock questions. I don't know how he did it, but he appeared to deliver a wonderfully personal speech about someone he'd never met and with very little information from me. If you've achieved the same thing using AI, go for it.

And here it is;

Ladies and gentlemen,

We are gathered here today to celebrate the life of a woman who was strong, vibrant, and bold. She was a force of nature, someone who was unapologetically herself, and who, in her own unique way, touched the lives of all those who knew her. Today, we honor my mother and remember the woman who had a profound impact on our lives.

My mother was a woman who enjoyed the finer things in life. She had a deep appreciation for beauty, whether it was in the form of her carefully curated home or her love of shopping. She was always on the lookout for the perfect item to add to her collection, and her passion for interior design made her home a place that stood out from the rest.

She was a woman who knew what she wanted and was not afraid to go after it. Her love for her sisters was unmatched, and their bond was a testament to the power of sisterhood. My mother had a remarkable ability to make her presence felt, and her sisters were her truest companions.

In her own way, my mother was a gifted artist. Her natural talent and keen eye for detail were evident in her work, and she had the potential to be a master craftsman. But it was her love for the simple things, like gardening, that brought out the best in her. She loved the challenge of cultivating the perfect garden, and she took great pride in her ability to outdo me in our friendly competitions.

My mother's love for animals was evident in her fondness for puppies. She found joy in their playful energy and the attention they garnered from others. Her love for animals was a reminder of the simple pleasures in life.

No one is perfect, and my mother was no exception. She had her flaws, but she also had her strengths. She was a woman who knew how to make her mark on the world, and she did so with courage and determination. As we remember her life today, let us also remember the indomitable spirit that she possessed, and the impact she had on all those who knew her.

In her memory, I would like to share a reading that I believe captures her essence:

"Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sun on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die."

In closing, let us celebrate my mother's life, remembering her for the vibrant, passionate, and unforgettable woman she was. May her memory live on in our hearts and inspire us to embrace life with the same fearless spirit she embodied.

AI is (one of my things) and I put someone's OP into ChatGPT for an eulogy and it did a really decent one. Same as the OP here it wasn't a very nice person and it created a perfectly pitched truthful piece.

My favourite one was Data delivering 'his' own Eulogy. It has everything. And I can't get it out of my head for any and every funeral I go to.

I wouldn't want complete lies in an eulogy.

There might be polite ways to word thing. Selfish could become 'she was a lady who knew what she wanted in life and wasn't afraid to go for it'. Lazy could become 'he knew how to take each day as it comes and not worry about the small stuff' etc etc

Ask chatgtb for polite ways of saying whatever they really were.

YANBU

Chat gtp is a tool.

It still needs your guidance and input to be personal and most effective.

However I have found by experience other people’s perceptions can be very old fashioned and often, they have never used it.

You are an early adopter of this technology - other people are going to take more time to get onboard. Next time don’t tell them - but don’t stop using it!

I think it is a bit off to say things you know weren't true.

At my uncles funeral the vicar said something like 'there are some parishioners I look forward to visiting, but X wasn't one of them' or words to that effect.

I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong in using chat gpt but it is a bit weird if it’s not what you actually think. I don’t think I could read words I didn’t agree with. Can you ask chat gpt and then tweak to do something you’re happy with? If not then I’d hand over the eulogy to someone else!

Well basically, you were given a template that you adapted.

That's all you need to say.

Ask chatgpt to write a euphomistic eulogy for someone who had whatever traits your relative had. It will find a nice way of saying they were a cantankerous git.

When my aunt, who was total bitch, died, none of us would do the eulogy so the priest did it. It was bland and generic with a few facts about her life.