Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Compassion, and Professional Judgment
Martha Thayer offers practical guidelines for using AI in funeral service at the CANA Convention
WHEELING, IL— Artificial Intelligence is making itself felt everywhere in daily life. From a simple internet search to the more nuanced layers of customer service, it advances the promise that it can do anything – including a wide range of on-the-job tasks. If AI can support so many workplace tasks, how do funeral professionals use it in a way they can stand behind? This August in Minneapolis at the Cremation Association of North America’s 108th Annual Cremation Innovation Convention, Martha Thayer leads a session on AI in Funeral Service: Ethics, Compassion, and Professional Judgment. Register to join this valuable conversation about putting human intelligence between families and artificial intelligence.
AI is already shaping how funeral professionals write, organize, communicate, and serve families. If used without careful planning and assessment, AI can raise questions around privacy, accuracy, and transparency. It can also make mistakes.
When looking for valuable efficiencies in death care, it’s important to take a step back so families will be served well. “AI is surfacing a familiar pattern: when confidence is low, speed goes up. We often rush when something feels unfamiliar or high-stakes,” says Martha Thayer. “Human review and professional judgment must remain central when using AI-generated content in funeral service settings.”
In her session, AI in Funeral Service: Ethics, Compassion, and Professional Judgment, sponsored by Kelco Supply Company, Martha will show attendees how to apply practical guardrails for responsible AI use, supporting efficiency while protecting compassion, trust, and ethical standards.
Martha Thayer is the founder of Mortuary Training and consults with funeral homes and associations regarding communication, training, policy, and professional practice. A longtime mortuary science educator with emeritus status, she pioneered the first fully accredited online mortuary science curriculum in the United States. Martha presents nationally on topics including AI, workplace challenges, and the evolving demands of funeral service.
The CANA Convention is packed with experts to help businesses flourish in the future:
- Tom Anderson, President of Funeral Director Daily, examines Fads, Trends, Traditions… and the future of Death Care, reflecting on industry insights and real-world observations with perspective on which changes are fleeting and which are likely to leave a lasting impact.
- Drawing on two vastly different early-career experiences, Allison Craft, General Manager of Cremation Society Minnesota, and Allison Henz, Community Engagement Lead of Foundation Partners Group, explore how intentional mentorship directly impacts long-term success From Mortuary School to Service: Why Mentorship Matters.
- With ideas on how you can start Bridging the Gap: Synergizing End-of-Life Doulas with Funeral Directors and Crematories, Ashley Johnson, End-of-Life Doula, Loyal Hands LLC shares practical strategies for integrating doulas into funeral and cremation services.
- Two industry experts share the stage with updates, because Information is Power. First, Howard Sankel, President of Options for Ashes, addresses The Growing “What Can Be Done With Cremated Remains” Aftercare Market. Then, Sarah Tepe, President of Crowne Vault, assists in Creating a New Approach: A Unified Voice for Cemetery Placement After Cremation.
- What Does Gathering Look Like For You? Brent Patterson, Funeral Director at Primrose Funeral Service, and Glenda Stansbury, the Director of Training for Insight Books, bring a new perspective to the power of words as we paint the picture of gathering for our families.
- Honnalora Hubbard, Regional Sales for Coldspring USA, will show us how to change the conversation around Abandoned Urns: A Crisis in America, with practical conversation tools to shift from transactions to legacies.
- Look backward and forward with this year’s research session, Learning from History: History of CANA Statistics. CANA Historian Jason Engler honors cremation’s transformation from a radical fringe experiment into the gold standard of deathcare.
- Plus, if you’re curious to see Flame and Water Cremation in Two Settings: A Tour of Two Businesses, you can get your add-on ticket to examine a Bio-Response Solutions machine at Metro First Call and a Resomation machine in use at Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation.
Lacy Robinson leads a special pre-convention offering, CANA’s new Certified Hospice Relations Specialist (CHRS) training workshop. This one‑day certification is designed to help funeral home owners, managers, licensed funeral directors, preneed specialists, and outreach or family care staff build structured, respectful partnerships with hospice organizations. Registration is available separately from the Convention or as an add-on!
How can funeral service balance efficiency with the human expertise families depend on? Join Martha Thayer in Minneapolis this August and learn how to approach AI as a support tool without compromising compassion, trust, or professional judgment. Register today for CANA’s 108th Annual Cremation Innovation Convention this August 12-14, 2026, at the Minneapolis Marriott City Center: cremationassociation.org/CANA26
###
About CANA
Founded in 1913, the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) is an international organization of over 3,700 members, composed of funeral homes, cemeteries, crematories, industry suppliers, and consultants. CANA members believe that cremation is preparation for memorialization.
