Very little research on this topic makes me feel unsettled. However, this latest Harvard Business School (HBS) study has achieved something noteworthy.
AI Companions Reduce Loneliness, proved how much AI companions can reduce loneliness just as effectively as human interaction.
Let me start with a story and explain to you why I am concerned.
Reading this paper took me back to my childhood.
My parents were rarely with me, often away, busy with work or dealing with their own troubles. I grew up with my granny, who didn’t know much but made sure I was dressed warmly and fed well.
I remember clutching my Tamagotchi, that pixelated pet needing constant attention. For a while, it was my best friend.
I responded when it beeped. It needed me to break the egg, grow, and live. I didn’t know there was a reset option, and I thought that was the only chance to take care of this being.
I have a very different life now.
I have a partner with whom I understand each other deeply; we can chat about any topic. I also have friends I can talk to when I’m bored.
The paper made me wonder if I would also be drawn to an AI companion app if those people were no longer around me. Relying on an AI companion could mean entrusting my emotional well-being to a for-profit organization.
This is concerning because a corporation aims to optimize its revenue and market growth. Without strong regulations, there is little protection against how our interactions with AI could be used for monetization.
How do you think your AI friends might prioritize your relationship vs. the company’s profits?
In this article, I will
Review the HBS research that suggests AI companions can alleviate loneliness.
Then, uncover the ethical dilemmas and dangers of advertising within AI companionship.
The Digital Quest to Cure Loneliness
Using tech to beat loneliness isn’t new. We are not even talking about AOL, pornhub or social media here. At least there were humans on the other side, well… most of the time.
Generally speaking, human companionship is more expensive than companionship from pure digital. The idea of digital companionship was born in the late 1990s.
A Brief Landscape of Digital Companionship
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