Marketers love talking about customer lifetime value. But technology is stretching the meaning of "lifetime" in ways few imagined. Thanks to AI and VR, we're entering an era where digital legacies — avatars, voice clones and holograms of the deceased — will continue shaping buying decisions long after someone has passed away. It's not about marketing to the dead. It's about marketing through them.

From grief tech to growth tech

Startups are already creating interactive avatars of parents, spouses and thought leaders so families can continue to "talk" with them after death. This emerging field is often called grief tech — a way to preserve memories and provide comfort.

One entrepreneur pioneering this space is Chris Brickler. He first founded Mynd Immersive, a company using VR to

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