EXCLUSIVE: Why Ozzy Osbourne's Family's Move to 'Cash In' on His Image Would Have Prince of Darkness 'Rolling in His Grave'
Ozzy Osbourne’s family appears to be in hot water over a digital version of the rocker.
May 31 2026, Published 12:00 p.m. ET
Ozzy Osbourne's family is sparking huge controversy after unveiling plans for an AI-powered hologram of the late Black Sabbath frontman, with critics telling RadarOnline.com his relatives are being accused of trying to cash in on the Prince of Darkness in a way friends say would have left the rocker "rolling in his grave."
The project was announced by Ozzy's widow Sharon Osbourne, 73, and son Jack Osbourne, 40, during Licensing Expo's The Enduring Legacy of a Rock Icon and His Family: Ozzy Osbourne and The Osbournes panel.
Osbourne Family Unveils Lifelike Avatar
Sharon and Jack Osbourne recently unveiled plans for an AI hologram of the singer.
The family confirmed a "Digital Ozzy" avatar is already in development through partnerships with Hyperreal and Proto Hologram, companies specializing in lifelike virtual recreations.
Ozzy died in July 2025, aged 76, after joking publicly that he would "haunt" anyone who turned him into a hologram after death.
Jack defended the technology during a video posted to his YouTube channel. He said: "Here's the thing, it's gonna be so tasteful what we're doing. It's not gonna be f------ lame.
"It's really complex what we're doing. This isn't just like hooking up an image of my dad to ChatGPT. This is some high-level technology that we're gonna be working with, and it's gonna feel very real, and it's kind of wild how it will be utilized."
Jack Osbourne defended the complex digital project on his YouTube channel.
The avatar is being developed using Hyperreal's patented "Digital DNA" system, with Proto Hologram providing technology allowing the virtual Ozzy to move, speak, and interact with fans in real time.
The companies say the hologram will be able to respond exactly as Ozzy would and appear in Proto Luma units across the United States and Britain later this summer.
Sharon said she was astonished by the possibilities offered by the technology.
"The things that you can do with that are just endless," she declared.
A' Cheap Cash Grab'?
Sharon Osbourne expressed her deep amazement at the new technology.
But several industry figures close to the Osbourne camp questioned whether the singer himself would have approved of such an aggressive commercial expansion after death.
One source familiar with Ozzy's thinking said, "Ozzy loved innovation and he loved joking around about death, but deep down he hated anything that felt fake or manufactured. He would have seen endless hologram appearances as a cheap cash grab."
Another insider said the Black Sabbath legend would likely have laughed publicly while privately disapproving.
The insider noted, "He joked that he couldn't complain if they turned him into a hologram because he'd be dead, but that was Ozzy's dark humor. Friends who knew him best believe he would actually have hated the idea of becoming a digital product wheeled out for profit, and fought against it.
"This plan would have him rolling in his grave."
Before his death, Ozzy had addressed the prospect of being digitally resurrected.
Asked about hologram tours, he said: "If I'm gone, I don't have a say in the matter. I can't complain. I'm the prince of darkness; I will haunt you. Go f------ wild!"
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The famous Prince of Darkness joked about his death before he passed away.
Jack insisted his father had personally discussed the concept before his death. He said, "It's really cool, and it's something that I think my dad would be into.
"We actually talked about it before he passed, about doing something like this. So, yeah. I know he would be into this."
Hyperreal chief executive Remington Scott defended the project, saying every aspect of the avatar had been approved by the Osbourne family.
"Every element of this avatar was built exclusively from authenticated, approved source material: curated, consented, and controlled by the people who love him most," Scott confirmed.
