Jack Osbourne has responded to backlash after unveiling plans for an AI-powered avatar of his late father, Ozzy Osbourne. The life-sized digital recreation is set to launch in Birmingham, as announced by Sharon and Jack Osbourne at the Licensing Expo in Las Vegas last week.
Partnership with Tech Companies
The Osbourne family has partnered with Hyperreal and Proto Hologram to create the avatar. Jack Osbourne, 40, described the technology as "scary how it's really very accurate." He added: "He will exist digitally as himself for as long as we have computers."
Sharon Osbourne, 73, said: "We're going to take it all around the world. People can talk to him and he will talk back. Elvis died 50 years ago and everybody knows Elvis. I just want that for Ozzy."
Fan Backlash and Jack's Defense
The announcement sparked backlash from fans, but Jack addressed the criticism in a livestream on his YouTube channel. He claimed his father would have supported the idea. "Here's the thing, it's gonna be so tasteful what we're doing. It's not gonna be f**king lame," Jack said. "It's really complex what we're doing. This isn't just like hooking up an image of my dad to ChatGPT. This is some high-level technology that we're gonna be working with, and it's gonna feel very real, and it's kind of wild how it will be utilised."
Jack revealed that he had discussed the concept with his father before his death. "We actually talked about it before he passed, about doing something like this … I know he would be into this," he added.
Ozzy Osbourne's Legacy
Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary Black Sabbath frontman, died in July 2025 after a battle with Parkinson's disease. Just before his death, he fulfilled his dream of performing one last time with his bandmates at Birmingham's Villa Park during the Back To The Beginning gig. He commented: "It's a goodbye as far as my live performances go, and what a way to go out."
Technology Behind the Avatar
Hyperreal claims its technology will allow the avatar to "have conversations with fans and move, speak, and respond as Ozzy would." CEO Remington Scott told Billboard: "This is a living performance, not a rendering; and it draws from nothing that wasn't given willingly. We have the enthusiastic participation of Ozzy's family, and that changes everything about what this can be."
David Nussbaum, founder of Proto Hologram, added: "We wouldn't do it if we didn't know both of our company's technologies will create an experience that truly extends Ozzy's presence, his heart and soul, into the future."
Hyperreal has previously created digital avatars for celebrities including The Notorious B.I.G., soccer star Lionel Messi, and Marvel Comics creator Stan Lee.
