Will people have online "ambiguous families" in the near future?

Imagine a family where some members are AI—and everyone knows it—but no one knows who.

Why?

Privacy: Share a family life online without oversharing personal details.

Companionship: Reduce loneliness without deception.

Fun storytelling: Relatives can interact and follow AI family members’ “lives.”

Ethical: You’re upfront about AI, just not specifics.

Could online ambiguous families become a real social norm?