Jack Osbourne Fires Back Against ‘Digital Ozzy’ Backlash

Last week, Loudwire reported on the Osbourne family partnering with “HYPERREAL to create what [Jack Osbourne] calls the ‘digital DNA of Ozzy Osbourne, voice, image [and] movement.’” Unsurprisingly, many fans are unhappy about what he deemed "Digital Ozzy," prompting Jack to fire back against the backlash by assuring fans that his dad would “be into” what they’re doing.

What Did Jack Osbourne Say About “Digital Ozzy”?

This past Friday (May 22), Jack hosted a roughly 21-minute YouTube livestream just to “hang out” and pass the time.

Near the end of his broadcast, someone in the chat sent the following comment: “Loved todays announcement especially as a podcast fan who’s heard Ozzy discuss AI many times in relation to his legacy. Are you expecting mixed initial reactions from fans who may not know his views?”

In response, Jack clarified:

I don’t know. Like, here’s the thing. It’s gonna be so tasteful, what we’re doing. It’s not gonna be fucking lame. It’s not like you can sit there and – 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. . . . It's kind of wild how it will be utilized. But, it's awesome. It's really cool, and it's something that, you know, I think my dad would be into ‘cause we actually talked about it before he passed, about, like, doing something like this. So, yeah. I know he would be into this.

Jack certainly had a reason to further comment on the situation. While some fans are overtly supportive of "Digital Ozzy," many others are openly against it.

For example, Loudwire’s social media posts about the announcement received comments such as: “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should” (on X); “I think the best legacy Ozzy could have left is his music. The rest is just a money grab” (on Facebook); and “We already have that. He's a legend. We want to remember him for himself, not the Osbourne's. They're famous because of him. Like Kardashians. Let him rest, people will never forget him. We don't need your help” (on Instagram).

You can see Jack Osbourne’s entire livestream below (with his comments on “Digital Ozzy” beginning about 19 minutes in).

Jack Osbourne Discusses “Digital Ozzy” Plans + More (May 22, 2026)

More About Osbourne Family’s Plans for “Digital Ozzy.”

Speaking about Ozzy – who passed away in July of 2025 – at the 2026 Licensing Expo, Sharon Osbourne expressed [via License Global on May 20]: “The things that you can do with that are just endless.”

She added: “You can ask Ozzy anything, and he will answer you in his own voice – and the answers will be what Ozzy would have said. We're going to take it all around the world. People can talk to him and he will talk back.”

Meanwhile, Jack specified [via License Global]:

It's kind of scary how it's really very accurate. He will exist digitally as himself for as long as we have computers. Technology has come such a long way to where it's almost drag and drop. You could shoot a template for a commercial ... literally prompt what you want Digital Ozzy to do in that commercial and you just drop it in. It's that simple now.

As for HYPERREAL (who promote themselves as “the future of immersive avatar entertainment”), their “patented Digital DNA platform creates the most authentic avatar performances in the world—approved by estates, authenticated at every level and powerful enough to fill arenas.”

For example, they premiered their digital hologram of late Marvel Comics icon Stan Lee at Los Angeles Comic Con in 2025, and they’ve also created digital versions of Paul McCartney and The Notorious B.I.G. among other famous figures.

Per Blabbermouth, HYPERREAL CEO Remington Scott commented:

Every element of [Ozzy’s] avatar was built exclusively from authenticated, approved source material: curated, consented, and controlled by the people who love him most. 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.

Plus, Proto Hologram founder David Nussbaum remarked [via Blabbermouth]:

It's an honor to be trusted to bring one of true gods of rock back to the world to continue to connect with fans — thank you, Sharon and Jack! We wouldn't do it if we didn't know both of our company's technologies will create an experience that truly extends Ozzy's presence, his heart and soul, into the future.

On that note, “Digital Ozzy” will debut in Proto Luma units (“life-size, patented holoportation devices that can display live or pre-recorded content with its 86-inch multi-touch volumetric display, 4K resolution, high fidelity speakers and spatial computing / conversational A.I. capabilities”) in the U.S. and the U.K. during the summer.

Other Osbourne Family News

Several months ago, Sharon Osbourne confirmed that she’s planning to bring back Ozzfest in 2027. In particular, she was speaking on a panel at MIDEM in Cannes, France alongside Download Festival’s Andy Copping, and she revealed:

The last one we did was 2018. It was just a month before Ozzy got sick and that was at the Forum in L.A. And there was no plans to stop it. We were still gonna do it, but Ozzy couldn’t. And Ozzy and I would talk about it and he’d say, “Do you think Ozzfest would work without me?” And I’m, like, “Yeah, it’s a brand. It will work without you.” And he said, “We should do it.”

So, it looks like Ozzy’s legacy and legend with live on in multiple ways moving forward.

How do you feel about “Digital Ozzy” and the family’s plans for Ozzy’s brand overall? Let us know!