Overview
- Sharon and Jack Osbourne announced at Licensing Expo that they have partnered with Hyperreal and Proto Hologram to build an AI‑powered, interactive avatar of Ozzy Osbourne that will speak, move and answer fans in real time.
- Hyperreal says the avatar uses its proprietary “Digital DNA” built from authenticated, family‑curated and consented material so it can perform as a live, responsive ‘living performance’ rather than play pre‑recorded clips.
- The companies plan to deploy the avatar in life‑sized Proto Luma touchscreen/hologram units in the United States and United Kingdom beginning in late summer 2026, with the family expressing hopes the debut will be in Birmingham.
- The announcement triggered significant online backlash over commercialization and the ethics of recreating a deceased person, and Jack Osbourne defended the project in a livestream, saying it had been discussed with his father and will be handled ‘tastefully.’
- The rollout highlights a broader shift in posthumous brand management by turning estate‑controlled archives into interactive products and raises questions about consent, emotional impact on fans, and future commercial uses to watch for.