WHAT THEY SAID
"I don't need your fucking money," Sharon Osbourne fired back at critics calling the family's Ozzy AI avatar a cash grab.‡ She and son Jack defended the project on The Osbournes podcast in June, insisting it's about legacy, not a payday.
THE DETAILS
- Jack clarified the avatar runs on a closed AI system built only from verified information Ozzy said or accurate material written about him — not internet-connected ChatGPT with his dad's face.*
- The interactive hologram will appear in Proto Luma units (86-inch 4K displays) across the UK and US by late summer 2026, letting fans ask Ozzy questions and get answers in his voice.*
- Sharon said Ozzy repeatedly asked how long he'd be remembered after death, and the family has explored this tech for 10 years.*
- Jack argued that if they don't control Ozzy's digital imprint, someone else eventually will — framing it as protection, not exploitation.*‡
WHO IS RIGHT
The Osbournes are right to own this. If the avatar uses only authenticated material with family consent and keeps Ozzy's legacy in their hands instead of some future tech vulture's, that's the opposite of a cash grab — it's estate planning for the hologram age.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
The avatar launches late summer 2026; whether fans show up or stay skeptical will answer whether this is visionary or just weird.