The Death of Data

Overview

This presentation was given in May 2026 at the Stir Trek conference.

Video

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Session Abstract

Our lives are increasingly lived as data—photos, chats, documents, posts, code—but most of it is quietly dying. Formats rot, platforms disappear, accounts get locked, and even our memories fade. In this talk, we’ll explore “The Death of Data” through the lens of Swedish Death Cleaning: what would it look like to intentionally curate, archive, or delete our digital lives before entropy or corporate policy does it for us?

We’ll examine how AI is accelerating both preservation and erasure: from generative models trained on our public traces, to AI-powered photo enhancement, summarization, and memorialization tools that can outlive us. Along the way, we’ll look at digital memorials, legacy videos, and time capsules, and ask: what do we actually want to survive us—and who gets to decide? You’ll leave with a new mental model for your digital afterlife and practical ideas for designing a more intentional legacy.

Slides

Slides are available as a PDF here.

Additional Resources

Obituaries mentioned

Stir Trek

About the Author


Jeffrey A. Miller is a Senior Consultant, Trainer, Author, Speaker, and Leader. Jeffrey has over 25 years of experience helping organizations bring value to their mission through software. He has presented a variety of programming, data, and team topics at user groups and tech conferences.

Jeffrey and his wife, Brandy, are adoptive parents and have written a fun children’s book called “Skeeters” with proceeds supporting adoption.