Sharon Osbourne has publicly defended the planned digital AI avatar of her late husband, Ozzy Osbourne, rejecting online criticism that the project is a cynical "money grab." Speaking to Metal Hammer, she argued the initiative reflects Ozzy's own wishes rather than a commercial scheme, framing the backlash as unfair given the couple had discussed the idea for years before his death.

The hologram-style avatar, produced with Hyperreal and Proto Hologram, was first unveiled by Sharon and son Jack Osbourne at Licensing Expo 2026 in May and remains in production. Sharon said Ozzy "loved the idea" and that they had discussed it for a decade, insisting she is not forcing anyone to engage with it. The avatar is one of several posthumous projects following Ozzy's death in July 2025, alongside Ozzy-themed Halloween Horror Nights attractions at Universal Studios, a planned Osbourne biopic, and a concert film of last year's "Back to the Beginning" show, which Sharon hopes will be released before the end of 2026.