Thanks for this. I found the descriptions of how you are using it augmented my own use. I totally agree with the potential downsides especially for vulnerable people and the younger generation. I’m building AI chat bots and I’m also deeply concerned with the trajectory for our social quality and I’ve thought a lot about whether I should be working in this field or actually working with people. I’m drawn to the therapeutic and educational benefits for people, but it’s really unclear how it will end up effecting us long term.
There are so many of us now … wildly beyond our Dunbar number … that we can’t connect with each other. This is amplified by our movement away from the durable cultural institutions that brought us together, e.g., churches, volunteer organizations, etc (Think “Bowling Alone”) We’re even moving away from building our own families as our prosperous, educated societies quit having kids.
So … we try to plug that ‘hole in our soul’ now with AI chatbots … to fill the deeply lonely emptiness with virtual companions who will behave however we want, confirming distorted and impossible expectations of what human relationships should be.
We are losing more and more human connection and communities as more people have been escaping to AI chatbots instead.
While it has its own benefits, overly relying on it can be dangerous and may prevent people from becoming more resilient in managing life circumstances.
Great read. Definitely bookmarking
'You will help me explore my thoughts without judgment'
Is therapy better, with or without judgment?
Thanks for this. I found the descriptions of how you are using it augmented my own use. I totally agree with the potential downsides especially for vulnerable people and the younger generation. I’m building AI chat bots and I’m also deeply concerned with the trajectory for our social quality and I’ve thought a lot about whether I should be working in this field or actually working with people. I’m drawn to the therapeutic and educational benefits for people, but it’s really unclear how it will end up effecting us long term.
Well written.
Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink.
There are so many of us now … wildly beyond our Dunbar number … that we can’t connect with each other. This is amplified by our movement away from the durable cultural institutions that brought us together, e.g., churches, volunteer organizations, etc (Think “Bowling Alone”) We’re even moving away from building our own families as our prosperous, educated societies quit having kids.
So … we try to plug that ‘hole in our soul’ now with AI chatbots … to fill the deeply lonely emptiness with virtual companions who will behave however we want, confirming distorted and impossible expectations of what human relationships should be.
Have spoken countless times with patients (individuals and groups) about our social instinct. This captures a little of that: https://medium.com/@david.c.hager.md/social-instinct-4b5f3b7ec2a6
Valid concerns.
We are losing more and more human connection and communities as more people have been escaping to AI chatbots instead.
While it has its own benefits, overly relying on it can be dangerous and may prevent people from becoming more resilient in managing life circumstances.
If you haven’t read “Bowling Alone,” I recommend it. A basic and important work on this subject.
https://a.co/d/6oCzq5T
Will give it a read, thank you :)