A mother in the UAE has created a guardianship will that would permit her son’s future guardians to use ChatGPT as a reference when making major life decisions after her death. This initiative comes from Expatriate Law in Abu Dhabi and forms part of the “Living Wishes Protocol.”
The AI would not govern the child’s life but would assist guardians by using a detailed record of the mother’s values, beliefs, and principles. The system would help guardians interpret how she might want her stated values applied to unforeseen situations.
Byron James, a partner at Expatriate Law, stated the draft will has not been registered or approved by Abu Dhabi courts. There is provision for annual reviews, independent human oversight and increasing weight being given to the child’s own wishes as he gets older. The guardians would keep a written record of the questions asked, ChatGPT’s responses and the decisions ultimately taken, and explain any decision to depart from the AI-generated guidance.
ChatGPT would have no legal authority, would not make decisions and would not be permitted to impersonate the mother.
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Letters of wishes can leave instructions about education, religion, healthcare and other aspects of a child’s upbringing, but they are frozen at the time they are written. That could include helping guardians handle an unexpected educational choice, changes in family circumstances or challenges created by technology that does not yet exist.
James highlighted how this method could fill gaps in conventional planning. For instance, a parent might specify school preferences but leave unclear how to address emerging options like specialized online education or AI-assisted learning. ChatGPT, informed by the parent’s core values, could help apply those principles to new scenarios.
Yet the proposal introduces practical and ethical challenges. AI systems may produce errors or biases, and their underlying models could evolve over time. There is also a balance to strike between honoring a parent’s legacy and allowing the child to form their own identity. James framed this as a key issue: whether technology can respect a parent’s intent while preserving the child’s autonomy.
