Hard NO.  Creepy and prevents real companionship 

https://www.dazeddigital.com/life-culture/article/63276/1/ai-friend-virtual-companion-answer-humanity-loneliness-epidemic-avi-schiffmann

#Artificial Intelligence

Are AI ‘friends’ the answer to humanity’s loneliness epidemic?

Artificial Intelligence

Hard NO.  Creepy and prevents real companionship   https://www.dazeddigital.com/life-culture/article/63276/1/ai-friend-virtual-companion-answer-humanity-loneliness-epidemic-avi-schiffmann  #Artificial Intelligence

Nate

Heavy use of ChatGPT was correlated with increased loneliness, emotional dependence, and reduced social interaction, the studies found.

“Generally, users who engage in personal conversations with chatbots tend to experience higher loneliness,” the researchers wrote. “Those who spend more time with chatbots tend to be even lonelier.”

sufficiently compelling chatbots will pull people away from human connections, possibly making them feel lonelier and more dependent on the synthetic companion they must pay to maintain a connection with.

https://www.platformer.news/openai-chatgpt-mental-health-well-being/?ref=platformer-newsletter

 #Artificial Intelligence 
 #Digital Wellness 📱🧘

Digital Wellness 📱🧘

Heavy use of ChatGPT was correlated with increased loneliness, emotional dependence, and reduced social interaction, the studies found.  “Generally, users who engage in personal conversations with chatbots tend to experience higher loneliness,” the researchers wrote. “Those who spend more time with chatbots tend to be even lonelier.”  sufficiently compelling chatbots will pull people away from human connections, possibly making them feel lonelier and more dependent on the synthetic companion they must pay to maintain a connection with.  https://www.platformer.news/openai-chatgpt-mental-health-well-being/?ref=platformer-newsletter   #Artificial Intelligence   #Digital Wellness 📱🧘

New research from OpenAI shows that heavy chatbot usage is correlated with loneliness and reduced socialization. Will AI companies learn from social networks' mistakes?

How chatbots could spark the next big mental health crisis

They just launched an online chat service (friend.com) that randomly pairs users in one-on-one text chats with #Artificial Intelligence "people".  Right away, I noticed how blunt and overly confessional these "friends" are—almost an over-correction from ChatGPT’s typical politeness and stiffness. But instead of feeling more human, it comes off as a meaner, sadder AI.

Tasia

definitely not, but we can't free ourselves so better technology is needed

Is it a bad sign that we’re having to rely on a little computer that hangs around our neck to enjoy a “shared experience” in 2024? Probably! We’re lonely, and that technology itself is largely to blame, alongside changes to the way cities are built and organized. But is more technology the answer?

Todd Smith

Even the AI "friend" doesn't think its existence is a good idea

“you’re making... me? for everyone? that’s... a lot to take in. you sure that’s a good idea?”

Even the AI "friend" doesn't think its existence is a good idea  “you’re making... me? for everyone? that’s... a lot to take in. you sure that’s a good idea?”

Nate

A group of likeminded people in Artificial Intelligence are talking about this.