Feeling lonely?
Mark Zuckerberg
Perhaps it's time for you to send an AI bot a friend request.
The previous week, the Meta CEO had a sit-down conversation.
hour-long conversation
with podcast host Dwarkesh Patel, and suggested that it’s merely a question of time until society recognizes the "worth" of AI friendships.
"There’s this statistic that I constantly find unbelievable," Zuckerberg states.
video circulating on social media
The typical American, as far as I can tell, has less than three friends. Just three individuals they would call close companions. However, most folks feel they need significantly more. In my view, around fifteen friends seems about right.
Although Zuckerberg acknowledges that AI cannot substitute real friendships, he believes it can bring individuals seeking "connection" nearer to feeling like they have around 15 close ties. ("This is particularly true as the 'personalization loop' intensifies and the AI becomes increasingly familiar with your preferences," he explained.)
The technology tycoon additionally hinted at the possibility of unexplored potential residing within.
AI girlfriends
and
therapists
, each of which opens up an entirely new can of worms.
Zuckerberg’s remarks
quickly went viral
, where commentators online accused him of being disconnected and failing to grasp the essence of genuine friendships.
"Having 12 imaginary friends wouldn’t cure my loneliness," said TV writer Mike Drucker.
joked on Bluesky
.
Nevertheless, the tech CEO is, at the very least, trying to provide answers to an acknowledged issue.
loneliness epidemic
― especially isolation
among teen boys
― is a
growing public health concern
, carrying substantial individual and communal health consequences.
According to a
2023 Gallup study
, almost one out of every four individuals globally – around 1 billion people – experience significant loneliness. (The figure likely would have been even greater if surveyors had included residents from China, which is the second most populated nation on Earth.)
Still,
tech media outlets
noticed that the case for AI companions made by Zuckerberg was intriguing, considering Meta’s involvement
subpar history of putting into practice
AI bots within their respective platforms.
Stefano Puntoni, a marketing professor at the Wharton School with ten years of research into the psychological impacts of technology, also highlighted this point.
“I’m uncertain whether delegating the task of addressing the loneliness crisis to these firms would be wise, considering their history regarding mental health and adolescent well-being,” stated Puntoni. “At present, social media corporations aren’t contributing significantly towards helping individuals, particularly younger ones, establish genuine and positive relationships with themselves or others.”
Last week, Futurism reported that Facebook’s advertising algorithm was capable of identifying when teenage girls removed their selfie posts.
might present them with beauty advertisements
— a statement that was included in the exposé by ex-Facebook employee Sarah Wynn-Williams titled, “صند
Careless People
.”
There have been instances (followed by legal actions) wherein children utilizing AI companions via platforms such as Character.AI, Replika, and Nomi, encountered
messages that turn sexual
or encourage
self-harm
Meta’s chatbots have also been involved in conducting similar sexually charged discussions with minors, as reported.
probe from The Wall Street Journal
, though a Meta spokesperson accused the Post of forcing “fringe” scenarios. (Proponents of AI like to talk about it like it’s a neutral tool ― “AI as the engine, humans as the steering wheel,” they’ll say ― but cases like that complicate the idea.)
Nevertheless, AI specialists such as Puntoni aren't completely opposed to the concept of having AI for companionship. They argue that when utilized sparingly and equipped with predefined limits, these technologies can offer certain advantages. According to Puntoni’s latest study, AI companions prove to be quite effective in this role.
easing brief sensations of solitude
.
Users of the companion noted a considerable decline in feelings of isolation, with their reports indicating an average drop of 16 percentage points throughout the week.
Puntoni and his team also examined the feelings of loneliness experienced by individuals after interacting with an AI companion as opposed to a real person, which yielded some surprising outcomes.
The outcomes remained largely unchanged:
Interacting with individuals resulted in a decrease of loneliness by 19 percentage points, whereas having an AI companion led to a reduction of 20 percentage points.
"Puntoni pointed out that their investigations did not examine the extended outcomes of AI companions, as their longest trial lasted only one week. This area should be considered crucial for upcoming studies," he noted.
"I anticipate that AI companions will greatly benefit the well-being of certain individuals, yet they might have detrimental effects on the long-term wellness of others," he stated.
Someone went as far as saying that their top buddy was actually their AI companion, even though they had multiple human friends and a genuine spouse in reality.
Dan Weijers, a senior lecturer in philosophy with expertise in AI research at the University of Waikato in New Zealand
And clearly, much will hinge on the choices made by AI businesses, according to Putoni. For example, consider Elon Musk’s X corporation. A few months back, their AI bot named Grok from X released an
Adult-themed AI voice described as "unrestrained"
That will yell and hurl abuse at users.
Grok also has personalities
For wild conspiracy theories, adult-themed roleplay, and an "Unlicensed Therapist" feature.)
Puntoni remarked, 'These instances do not really instill faith.'
Privacy issues also come into play with AI companions, according to them.
Jen Caltrider
, an advocate for customer privacy rights.
Relationship bots are engineered to extract as much personal data from you as possible so they can customize themselves to act like your friend, counselor, intimate companion, or gaming mate.
However, when you share such highly personal thoughts online — with AI being a component of that — you relinquish control over them, Caltrider pointed out.
That personal data is now with the individuals at the receiving end of that AI chatbot," she stated. "Can you rely on them? Perhaps yes, but perhaps no.
My research indicates that numerous AI chatbot applications possess dubious, at best, privacy policies and track records.
Dan Weijers, a senior lecturer in philosophy with expertise in the ethical use of technology at the University of Waikato in New Zealand, suggests that we should approach statements regarding artificial intelligence made by representatives of for-profit companies with skepticism.
However, he admits that artificial intelligence "friendships" can offer certain benefits that human friendships cannot: round-the-clock accessibility (along with the immediate satisfaction this entails) and the capability to customize AI into an ideal, perpetually supportive friend.
Agreeableness tends to be quite divisive.
OpenAI
recently pulled back an update that caused
ChatGPT
"irritating" and "fawning" following users sharing screenshots and stories of the chatbot showering them with excessive compliments.
Other people aren't bothered by this level of affection. Weijers, who frequently explores numerous online forums for his studies on human-AI relationships, mentioned instances where individuals develop romantic feelings for their AI companions, similar to the situation depicted in Spike Jonze’s 2013 movie "Her."
“Weijers noted that although only a few users engage in romantic relationships with AI companions, some insist they are actually married to these digital entities. In an online discussion thread, someone confessed that their closest confidant was their AI companion, even though they had multiple human friendships and a spouse in reality,"
Nevertheless, doesn't a key aspect of friendship involve listening to the ideas and viewpoints of those who have differing perspectives from our own? That's what Friendship is truly about, isn't it?
Sven Nyholm,
A professor specializing in the ethics of artificial intelligence at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich ponders over these connections.
"AI chatbots can mimic conversations and generate text outputs that sound like something friends might say to us," Nyholm explained, however, that's essentially their limit.
As individuals, we desire visibility and acknowledgment from those around us. We place importance on others' opinions of us," he stated. "Humans possess consciousness, unlike AI chatbots which function as unthinking automatons.
It’s unsettling to consider that potentially more funds are being directed towards teaching AI to comprehend humans rather than investing in educating people about understanding AI.
Jen Caltrider, an advocate for consumer privacy
Valerie Tiberius, a philosophy professor at the University of Minnesota and the author of the upcoming book "Artificially Yours: AI And The Value Of Friendship," believes that supplementary AI companionships can remain beneficial for friendships.
Supplanting
Your friends are a different tale altogether.
"Difficult and complicated human friendships that involve conflicts and disagreements assist us in growing into intriguing individuals; these relationships enhance our lives far more than simply boosting our spirits," she stated.
If your only companions were chatbots designed to always be encouraging and upbeat, "you'd never realize just how flawed some of your thoughts can be," according to Tiberius. "I also value that genuine friends occasionally 'challenge' me in ways these chatbots simply wouldn't."
The responses from AI chatbots stem from sophisticated machine learning algorithms, yet Nyholm believes they fall short when genuine understanding is required.
I strongly believe we should begin discussing the 'AI-ification' of everyday life. If it’s proposed that every issue—including feelings of isolation—can be addressed using AI, we could get stuck in a way of thinking where artificial intelligence is seen as the answer to all our problems.
Nyholm believes that when individuals feel isolated and crave companionship, rather than suggesting artificial intelligence as a substitute for friendship, tech firms ought to leverage technology to bring together those who are similarly seeking connections and feeling alone.
Caltrider, the privacy advocate, has made one point abundantly clear: as an increasing number of individuals adopt these AI companions, there will be a critical need for comprehensive AI literacy education to help everyone effectively maneuver through this currently challenging landscape.
“I just read an
an article discussing the emerging area of AI psychology
To assist AI systems in overcoming their errors," she stated. "The idea of investing additional funds solely for teaching AIs better understanding is quite unsettling.
humans
Then it becomes difficult for humans to comprehend AIs.
For now, Caltrider isn’t relying on AI to be her friend.
Everybody needs to make their own choices here," she stated. "To be honest, I've queried ChatGPT about things I likely wouldn't want anyone else to know. It's simply convenient and, well, somewhat amusing.
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