Dylis
My brother in law died five years ago. My sister in law constantly visits various mediums to "contact" him.
I think that it simply prolongs her grief. She is convinced that he contacts her through these people.
This is much worse than that. Whilst I don't approve of mediums I do understand why people would want that comfort. However, mediums believe that the deceased have past into presumably, a spiritual realm and are no longer alive.
This talking to robots isn't the same and convinces some of the bereaved that their loved ones are still alive.
Also a medium is exactly that, an intermediary, these computer simulations are contacted directly by the bereaved on web-site.