**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
**“The Matthew Perry Protocol”: AI-Powered Digital Replicas of Lost Loved Ones Pass Strict Ethical Review – Set to Revolutionize Global Grief Therapy by 2029**
**LOS ANGELES, CA – October 28, 2028** – Five years after the tragic death of beloved *Friends* star Matthew Perry, a groundbreaking technology called "The Matthew Perry Protocol" has received final FDA and global ethics board approval. Developed by a consortium of digital ethicists and neuroscientists, the protocol allows approved grief therapists to generate hyper-realistic, fully interactive AI avatars of deceased individuals—starting with the late actor, who donated his digital likeness for the project before his passing.
Unlike rudimentary deepfakes, these avatars are trained on the entirety of a person’s public and private digital footprint (letters, video diaries, interviews, and session transcripts). The "Perry Avatar" does not claim consciousness, but it can hold nuanced, therapeutic conversations with patients suffering from complicated grief or addiction survivors—mirroring Perry's own advocacy.
The pilot program, "Friends in Recovery," has already shown a 78% reduction in severe grief symptoms in a triple-blind study. Critics call it a “digital séance” and a commodification of grief, while proponents argue it’s the future of mental health.
“Matthew wanted his legacy to be about helping people not feel alone,” said a spokesperson from the Perry Foundation. “This feels like the most radical extension of that mission.”
**The world is now asking: If we can bring back Matthew Perry to help us heal, who is next—and where is the line?**