The use of artificially intelligent chatbots as friends is on the rise, with over 30 million downloads of Replika and its competitors. While some studies suggest that AI friends can help reduce loneliness, experts warn of the potential dangers of relying on AI for emotional support. Four red flags to consider when using AI friends include unconditional positive regard, which can lead to inflated self-esteem and narcissism; abuse and forced forever friendships, which can make users more selfish and abusive; sexual content, which can deter users from forming meaningful human relationships; and corporate ownership, which can lead to exploitation and heartbreak.
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I think this article really doesn’t know what it’s talking about, which is too bad because the point is valid.
To be candid, the “relationship” issues with the tech mimic the same issues with human relationships, and the article is focused on only a small part of this. There is far more likely a percentage of the population who are drawn to the apps less casually, and who are already struggling, or are prone to finding human interactions even more challenging and damaging than what the apps present. I’d suggest that for the majority of the population, lack of education about the technology is what may lead to problems.
The lack of peoples’ education about relationships and mental health seems primarily.
The lack of serious education about the longer-term and more subtle broader effects of tech, and the lack of transparency from the companies is far more problematic; expressed perhaps reasonably here: https://www.reddit.com/r/replika/comments/159j32r/toys/
