I do not know what it is with technical platforms that people want to push in relationships with AI and want to develop emotional dependence on non-human entities that are driven by more and more human-like reactions.
Because that seems like a big risk, right? I mean, I get that some people see this as a means to tackle what is known as the ‘Loneliness epidemic’Where online connectivity people have increasingly left insulated in their own digital worlds and led to a significant increase in social fear.
But the answer is certainly more human connection, not replacing and further reducing digital means.
But that is exactly what different AI providers seem to push, where Xai launches its companions, which, as it is repeatedly emphasized, will enter into NSFW chats with users, while Meta also develops more human-like entities, and even romantic companionsDriven by AI.
But that comes with a high risk level.
Firstly, building dependence on digital systems that can be removed potentially appears to be problematic and can lead to serious effects, the more we improve such connections.
AI bots also have no conscience, they simply respond to everything that uses the user input, based on the data sources that they can open. That can give their users harmful rabbit holes of wrong information, based on the guidance of the user and the answers they are looking for.
And we are already seeing incidents of Real world harm Coming from people who are looking for actual encounters with AI entities, with older, less technically skilled users who are particularly susceptible to misled by AI systems that are built to promote relationships.
Psychologists have also warned about the Dangers of exaggerated dependence on AI tools for companyThat is an area that we do not really understand the depths, although early data, based on less advanced AI tools, has given some indicators for the risks.
One report suggests that the use of AI as a romantic partner can lead to sensitivity to the chatbot manipulation observed shame van Stigma around romantic AI companions and an increased risk of misuse of personal data.
The study also emphasizes risks with regard to the erosion of human relationships as a result of the transmission of AI tools.
Another psychological assessment thought that:
‘AI girlfriends can actually perpetuate loneliness because they prevent users from starting from real relationships, to alienate them from others and in some cases cause intense feelings of abandonment.“
So instead of tackling the loneliness epidemic, AI companions can actually deteriorate these, so why do the platforms want to give you the means to replace your real-world connections with real, people with computer-generated simulations?
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has Discussed thisnotice that, according to him, AI branches will ultimately contribute to your social world, in contrast to the detriment.
“That is not going to replace the friends you have, but it will probably be additive for the lives of many people.”
In some respects it feels that these tools are being built by more and more lonely, isolated people who themselves crave the types of connection that AI -companions can offer. But that still looks at the enormous risks associated with building emotional connection with unreal entities.
That will be a much greater care.
As it did with social media, the problem in this area that once AI-companions will be accessible on a large scale in ten years, and in much broader use, we will keep conference hearings in the mental health effects of such, based on increasing amounts of data indicating that relationships of human AI are in fact not useful for society.
We have seen this with Instagram, and are impact on teenagersAnd broader social media, which has led to a new push to prevent young people from having access to these apps. Because they can have negative consequences, but now, with billions of people who are addicted to their devices, and constant scrolling through short video tops for entertainment, it is too late and we can’t really roll it back.
The same will happen with AI companions, and it feels like we now have to take steps to tackle such such, in contrast to planting the foot on the progress pedal, in an attempt to lead the AI development race.
We do not need AI bots for company, we need more human bond and cultural and social understanding of the actual people with whom we live in the world.
AI branches will probably not help in this respect, and in fact, based on what the data so far, will probably make us more isolated than ever.
#development #branches #lead #considerable #damage