The F1 paddock is obviously well-versed in cutting-edge technology, but former Red Bull motorsport boss Helmut Marko is putting money into a surprising – and downright bizarre – venture.
The 83-year-old Austrian, renowned for his ruthless talent scouting, has invested in Lebensstimmen, globally known as Words That Remain, an AI startup that allows people to record personal messages to be delivered after their death.
Unveiled recently at a Vienna press conference alongside the company’s founders and Cathedral Pastor Toni Faber, the platform allows users to record post-mortem greetings for loved ones or even address mourners at their own funerals.
Because why leave the final word to someone else when artificial intelligence can handle the logistics?
“This project is using very new technology, mainly AI. So it offers a very unique opportunity for the last will, and also the possibility that the one who died speaks personally at his funeral,” Marko said.
Digital eulogies and technical precision
For a man who spent decades in the fast lane, picking apart drivers’ high-speed telemetry and razor-thin margins, backing an avatar platform that creates digital farewells isn't perhaps as far-fetched as it sounds.
The platform uses AI-generated avatars to deliver messages prepared during a person's lifetime, with users deciding who receives them and under what circumstances.
One potential application is an AI-assisted eulogy, offering families a personal tribute even when a traditional speaker is unavailable.
Marko drew a direct line between his storied career on the pit wall and his leap into digital immortality:
“It is surrounded by experts and very well educated and trained on the technical and on the law side. And the market I see is worldwide,” he explained.
“Motorsport was never left to chance; it was improved through the courage to consistently use new technologies for the benefit of people. That is exactly the attitude I recognise in Lebensstimmen.”
To ensure the technology remains ethical, human reviewers will audit every AI-generated message, while legal partners oversee privacy protocols.
Following his departure from Red Bull at the end of 2025, Marko seems to have found a new arena: trading championship battles for the ultimate post-race transmission.
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