I'd expect growing numbers of people to become drawn in to the AI friend world. Not everybody, but a significant percent of the population, something similar to social media use today.
Two turning points to expect:
1) AI friends will become increasingly compelling simulations of humans. A text to text interface will be upgraded to an interface more like a zoom call. It will be ever harder to distinguish an AI friend from a real friend in appearance. These developments will expand AI friend use beyond the nerd class in to a broader public.
2) Coming generations born in to a world where AI is everywhere won't have the same reluctance about talking to computers. Talking to AI will be normalized.
Imho, we are substantially under estimating the social impact of these coming developments. Liberating social interaction from the requirement of negotiation and compromise seems likely to have profound consequences we're only beginning to be able to imagine.
We can see this new social environment today in two ways:
1) How many people today spend more time with their pets than they do with their family and friends?
2) How people today spend more time on social media than they spend with their family and friends?
It's already happening. AI is just the next chapter of this phenomena.
Human connections are built upon mutual need. Remove the need, and the connections suffer. This is unlikely to end well, but I don't see a way out of what is coming.
Thanks for your thoughtful contribution! There wasn't so much space left in the article, but your comparison with social media is spot on and it crossed my mind for sure. Especially, because the research is already pointing us to how addictive this new tech is. In a way, an AI companion that will always respond, to anything you say, at any time of the day, is the new endless scroll.
"Liberating social interaction from the requirement of negotiation and compromise seems likely to have profound consequences we're only beginning to be able to imagine." - For me, this summarizes perfectly the effect it will have on the human psyche and why caution is advised. I couldn't have articulated it any better.
Yes, caution is advised. But I don't see a lot of hope for caution happening.
Well, maybe after some time has passed. As example, there is talk of caution about today's social media now that we've had some time to experience it. And some people have indeed escaped. But vast numbers of us are still here, and show little sign of leaving. We leave particular platforms, like the current push back against Twitter/X. But when we leave one social media platform we typically just run to another.
If that experience with social media is instructive in regards to AI friends, then caution is likely going to be in short supply.
It's like illegal drugs. We all know they are often bad for us. But the market is flooded with them anyway. And nobody can stop it.
One angle I haven't seen discussed is how those involved with AI friends may use some drug or another to help break a tie with reality and deepen the illusion that the AI friend is real. I'm not sure what drug would be best for this, but I'm sure people will be experimenting in this direction.
How about a whole room full of AI friends all talking to each other, and then we are invited to join the party?
This is going to get very strange indeed...
Thanks for addressing the topic, it's fun to hear your thoughts on the matter.
The rise of AI companions is undeniably fascinating, and the numbers you've mentioned demonstrate the increasing role of technology in reshaping human interaction. They raise important ethical and psychological considerations, such as the potential impact on our ability to form and maintain meaningful connections with real people. As we continue to embrace AI companions, it's crucial to consider the balance between convenience and genuine human connections.
Thanks for your review of this important topic.
I'd expect growing numbers of people to become drawn in to the AI friend world. Not everybody, but a significant percent of the population, something similar to social media use today.
Two turning points to expect:
1) AI friends will become increasingly compelling simulations of humans. A text to text interface will be upgraded to an interface more like a zoom call. It will be ever harder to distinguish an AI friend from a real friend in appearance. These developments will expand AI friend use beyond the nerd class in to a broader public.
2) Coming generations born in to a world where AI is everywhere won't have the same reluctance about talking to computers. Talking to AI will be normalized.
Imho, we are substantially under estimating the social impact of these coming developments. Liberating social interaction from the requirement of negotiation and compromise seems likely to have profound consequences we're only beginning to be able to imagine.
We can see this new social environment today in two ways:
1) How many people today spend more time with their pets than they do with their family and friends?
2) How people today spend more time on social media than they spend with their family and friends?
It's already happening. AI is just the next chapter of this phenomena.
Human connections are built upon mutual need. Remove the need, and the connections suffer. This is unlikely to end well, but I don't see a way out of what is coming.
Thanks for your thoughtful contribution! There wasn't so much space left in the article, but your comparison with social media is spot on and it crossed my mind for sure. Especially, because the research is already pointing us to how addictive this new tech is. In a way, an AI companion that will always respond, to anything you say, at any time of the day, is the new endless scroll.
"Liberating social interaction from the requirement of negotiation and compromise seems likely to have profound consequences we're only beginning to be able to imagine." - For me, this summarizes perfectly the effect it will have on the human psyche and why caution is advised. I couldn't have articulated it any better.
Well said, and thanks for your kind response.
Yes, caution is advised. But I don't see a lot of hope for caution happening.
Well, maybe after some time has passed. As example, there is talk of caution about today's social media now that we've had some time to experience it. And some people have indeed escaped. But vast numbers of us are still here, and show little sign of leaving. We leave particular platforms, like the current push back against Twitter/X. But when we leave one social media platform we typically just run to another.
If that experience with social media is instructive in regards to AI friends, then caution is likely going to be in short supply.
It's like illegal drugs. We all know they are often bad for us. But the market is flooded with them anyway. And nobody can stop it.
One angle I haven't seen discussed is how those involved with AI friends may use some drug or another to help break a tie with reality and deepen the illusion that the AI friend is real. I'm not sure what drug would be best for this, but I'm sure people will be experimenting in this direction.
How about a whole room full of AI friends all talking to each other, and then we are invited to join the party?
This is going to get very strange indeed...
Thanks for addressing the topic, it's fun to hear your thoughts on the matter.
Thanks for sharing this!
The rise of AI companions is undeniably fascinating, and the numbers you've mentioned demonstrate the increasing role of technology in reshaping human interaction. They raise important ethical and psychological considerations, such as the potential impact on our ability to form and maintain meaningful connections with real people. As we continue to embrace AI companions, it's crucial to consider the balance between convenience and genuine human connections.