How to Use ChatGPT to Write a Eulogy: My Experience
When my 99-year-old father died, I searched for advice on how to use ChatGPT to write a eulogy.
I found plenty of articles explaining prompts and artificial intelligence, but very few written by someone who had actually stood in front of family and friends and delivered the finished speech.
This article explains how I used ChatGPT as an editor, organiser and sounding board while writing the eulogy for my dad. The memories, emotions and stories were all mine.
ChatGPT simply helped me tell them better.
How to Use ChatGPT to Write a Eulogy: Why I Chose This Approach
Dad had lived a remarkable life.
He worked in bakeries, trained successful harness horses, loved Port Adelaide, collected Holden cars, remained fiercely independent and always put his family first.
The challenge wasn’t finding material.
The challenge was organising nearly one hundred years of memories into a speech that flowed naturally and sounded like me.
Rather than asking ChatGPT to “write my dad’s eulogy”, I gave it stories, memories and ideas, then asked questions such as:
- Where would this story fit best?
- Does this repeat something I’ve already said?
- Is this sentence too long?
- Does this sound like natural speech?
- What could I remove without losing meaning?
Those questions proved far more valuable than asking AI to produce an entire speech.
Learning how to use ChatGPT to write a eulogy became an iterative process.
Each revision helped me improve the structure, refine the wording and ensure the finished speech still reflected my own voice.
Using ChatGPT to Write a Eulogy from Real Memories
One of the biggest surprises was discovering that my memories naturally grouped into themes.
Dad wasn’t simply someone who trained horses or supported Port Adelaide.
Those stories demonstrated larger ideas.
His life was about:
- working hard
- supporting family
- teaching by example
- remaining independent
- finding humour in everyday life
Once those themes became clear, writing the eulogy became much easier.
How ChatGPT Helped Me Write a Better Eulogy
Most of the improvements weren’t dramatic.
Instead, many small suggestions gradually made the speech stronger.
Long sentences became shorter.
Repeated ideas disappeared.
Transitions became smoother.
Humorous stories were moved to better positions.
One example involved something Dad never actually said.
He never told me to buy a house.
Instead, watching him and Mum work hard to own their own home taught me that lesson without him ever saying it.
ChatGPT suggested placing that story in the section where I explained that Dad taught through example rather than words.
It became one of my favourite parts of the speech.
Preserving My Own Voice
One concern I had was that the eulogy might begin sounding like it had been written by artificial intelligence.
I didn’t want that.
Every suggestion was read aloud.
Many were changed.
Some were rejected completely.
The finished eulogy sounded like me because every sentence was reviewed before it stayed.
ChatGPT became an editor rather than the author.
If you’re wondering how to use ChatGPT to write a eulogy, my biggest piece of advice is to begin with your own memories. Artificial intelligence should help organise and refine your ideas, not replace them.
Including Humour
Dad had a wonderful collection of stories.
He loved talking.
Listening, however, was optional.
He had unusual ideas about healthcare.
He once frightened away a peeping Tom by shouting: “Get me the gun, John!”
Fortunately, we didn’t own a gun.
Stories like these reminded everyone of the person they knew rather than creating a formal history lesson.
ChatGPT helped me decide whether each story added something meaningful or simply made the speech longer.
One of the Most Important Sections
The most personal addition came late in the writing process.
Dad spent his nineties determined to remain in his own home with as little assistance as possible.
Watching that determination inspired me.
Since my spinal cord injury, there have been many difficult days.
In just two sentences, I can explain why Dad’s resilience mattered so much to me.
Watching Dad keep going through the challenges of his nineties, determined to keep living in his own home with as little help as possible, inspired me.
When I’ve faced my own health challenges, I’ve often drawn strength from his example.
Those words connected Dad’s life with mine without making the eulogy about me.
What ChatGPT Could Not Do
Artificial intelligence cannot know your loved one.
It cannot remember family holidays.
It cannot tell you which stories matter most.
Only you can do that.
What ChatGPT can do is help organise your thoughts, identify repetition, improve wording and suggest a structure that makes your memories easier for others to follow.
Think of it as an experienced editor sitting beside you rather than someone writing the speech for you.
The Final Result: Using ChatGPT to Write a Eulogy
The finished eulogy took almost twenty minutes to deliver.
It included laughter, tears and many memories that family members later said they had forgotten.
Most importantly, people told me afterwards: “That was a great eulogy. Thank you for sharing your relationship with him.”
For me, that was the greatest compliment.
ChatGPT had helped me organise almost one hundred years of memories into a coherent tribute without taking away my own voice.
Everyone’s experience will be different, but this is how I chose to use ChatGPT to write a eulogy that remained personal, honest and true to my father.
Click here to view the complete eulogy.
Would I Recommend Using ChatGPT to Write a Eulogy?
Absolutely—but only if you use it as a tool rather than a replacement.
Bring your own memories.
Bring your own emotions.
Bring your own judgement.
Use ChatGPT to help organise, edit and refine what you already know.
The final words should still be yours.
Because in the end, the life belongs to your loved one, and the tribute should come from your heart.
Watch the Funeral Service and Eulogy
The funeral service, including the eulogy, can be viewed below. The eulogy begins at 11:55, and the photo tribute begins at 29:35.
About The Author
I’ve used a wheelchair since a tree branch changed my life in 2009, resulting in a complete T3 spinal cord injury. Through Wheelchair John, I share the humour, frustrations, challenges, faith, accessibility issues, and everyday realities of life on wheels. If you’ve enjoyed this article, you might also enjoy my other posts about disability, accessibility, cats, and the occasional collision with a doorframe.