25-06-2025
Inside the future of funerals using AI for the perfect send-off – it could save you HUNDREDS
'A lot of people are choosing a no fuss funeral, which is great, but you still need that closure'
LIVE AND LET AI Inside the future of funerals using AI for the perfect send-off – it could save you HUNDREDS
A NEW free to use AI tool has been created to help plan the perfect funeral send-off.
Pure Cremation launched their A Fine Farewell service to help grieving families, or customers themselves, put together a final goodbye.
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Direct cremations are increasing in popularity but Pippa says people still need closure.
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Ashes going into a traditional urn.
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Pippa Tustain developed the AI tool for Pure Cremation.
It comes as one in five funerals in the UK are now direct cremations – with no ceremony at the crematorium – meaning families are increasingly having to plan the repast by themselves.
Chief Features Writer MATT BENDORIS speaks to the AI services creator and also plans his own last hurrah.
PIPPA Tustain knows that more and more Brits are choosing a direct cremation service - but believes while it saves them a fortune it leaves them lacking the 'closure' of a proper send-off.
That's why she programmed the A Fine Farewell AI tool for Pure Cremation to assist anyone tasked with putting together a final goodbye.
And she believes the service is required with the cost of dying increasing by £122 from 2019 to £3,980 for the average cremation today - while a direct cremation is £29 less than six years ago with an average price of £1,597.
Pippa, 39, said: 'A lot of people are choosing a no fuss funeral, which is great, but you still need that closure.
'So the way we approached this was with two main groups of people in mind.
'Obviously the first group are those planning a funeral ceremony for a loved one which is hard enough as it is, especially when you are grieving and dealing with all the admin that comes with any death.
'But the other group are people who are planning ahead and although no one likes talking about death, it can actually be a really thoughtful and beautiful thing to do.
'Instead of leaving it to family and friends to guess what you would have liked, you can actually spell it all out, even if it's something as simple as telling them all to just go down the pub.
'But by creating these legacy documents it allows people to properly celebrate their life.'
AIDA PLANNED MY WHEELY FUN SEND-OFF
By Matt Bendoris
FUNNILY enough I had never planned my own funeral before but, far from being a morbid affair, it was actually fun.
Aida promised to be 'gentle, sensitive and helpful' and it was certainly all of those things.
After tapping in some basic information about my likes, dislikes and passions – basically cycling and going to the pub – it suggested a bike ride in my honour followed by a meal and a drink at my favourite boozer. Perfect.
It then thought I should select music for my mourners while I also wanted them to enjoy a tipple to toast my memory.
Aida came up with suitable cycling-themed cocktail names including Pedal Punch and Gear Grinder and even suggested all attending should be wearing bike clobber too – I Lycra style.
Pure Cremation's AI Assistant Aida is described as 'gentle, sensitive and helpful' and is said to, 'encourage an easy relaxed conversation' while planning a send-off.
Aida offers numerous ideas including suggesting nearby venues and even provides prices and contact information.
At the end of the chat you can then ask Aida to email you a summary of the perfect send-off with all the details.
But the Bristol-based company stresses that A Fine Farewell is not a generic tool and by asking 'thoughtful questions' about your loved one's life, personality and values, it tailors 'creative and original suggestions' for the person being honoured.
Pippa says: 'The idea is you only have to talk about the person that you love. You only have to tell it what they were like, how did they make you feel, what did they like in life? And then you can guide it.
'So it comes up with the ideas and then you just have to tell it what you do and you don't like, and you whittle it down from there, and then you can put in the practical stuff like how many people and spaces.
'It can even look up places in your area to help you sort of understand where you might do a gathering and give you costs too.'
However Pippa from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, admits even she has been amazed by some of the suggestions her creation has churned out.
She said: 'When I asked for a book where people could write messages of condolence, it suggested a kiss book, because this particular nana always insisted on getting a kiss from her grandchildren.
'So people can put on nana's favourite lipstick, leave a kiss on the page and a message beside it.
'Aida even came up with a cocktail suggestion called The Duchess, which was this nana's nickname. It then detailed the cocktail ingredients based on this nana's favourite vodka tipple so it was relevant to them.'
Pippa puts down the rapid rise in direct cremations popularity due to the covid pandemic - when funeral gatherings were limited - to the rising costs of traditional funerals.
She said: 'People are letting go of the idea that you have to have a burial in a certain way and pay a lot of money.
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Costs of funerals are rising but direct cremation costs are down.
'I think they're kind of waking up to the fact that sometimes what you're paying for isn't necessary, or even wanted, paying fees for cars and flowers when actually.
'What's important when people pass away that you love is how you celebrate them. This tool does helps you give them the send off that they wanted.'
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