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Sharon Osbourne has pushed back against accusations that creating an AI-generated version of her late husband, Ozzy Osbourne, is a money grab.
Following Ozzy’s passing in July 2025, Sharon, 73, revealed at the 2026 Licensing Expo that she had partnered with AI companies Hyperreal and Proto Hologram to develop a highly realistic 3D hologram of the rock icon. On June 5, Sharon and her son Jack Osbourne, 45, addressed the controversy during an episode of their podcast, The Osbournes, responding to fans who expressed discomfort with an AI representation of the Black Sabbath frontman.
Despite criticism from some heavy metal enthusiasts who viewed the project as exploitative, Sharon defended the hologram, emphasizing it as a meaningful legacy for her grandchildren. This conversation came shortly after Sharon publicly supported her daughter’s decision to lose weight following Ozzy’s death.
During the podcast, Sharon acknowledged the backlash, stating, “I was reading some, and it’s like, ‘Oh, f–k off. Give me a break.’
It’s like saying, when there were propeller planes, then came jets: ‘Oh, that’s a cash grab! Why switch?’”
She continued, “For someone to say I’m doing a cash grab? No, you don’t know my husband.
I know my husband.”
Sharon reflected on Ozzy’s thoughts about his legacy, recalling, “He would say to me over and over, ‘After I go, how long do you think I’ll be remembered?’ And I’d say, ‘I don’t know, because I’ll probably be going with you.
So don’t ask me.’” She added, “It’s something that will pass on through our family, and it’s for our grandkids.”
Hyperreal has explained that the AI avatar will be capable of interacting with fans by speaking, moving, and responding authentically as Ozzy would. Remington Scott, CEO of Hyperreal, told Billboard at the announcement, “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.”
Hyperreal is no stranger to this technology, having previously created digital avatars of notable figures such as rapper Notorious B.I.G., soccer star Lionel Messi, and Marvel legend Stan Lee.
Ozzy Osbourne passed away after a long struggle with Parkinson’s disease. Before his death, he gave a final performance with Black Sabbath at Birmingham’s Villa Park during their Back To The Beginning benefit concert. Reflecting on that farewell show, he said, “It’s a goodbye as far as my live performances go, and what a way to go out.”