As you may already know, AI is slowly becoming more and more integrated into all of our daily lives. From faster internet researching and generating images, to drafting your essays and writing your emails. But what if you're looking for something a little "deeper?" According to a study by Center for Democracy & Technology, 19% of all student respondants either have had or know someone who has had a romantic relationship with an AI chatbot.
The Perfect Partner
As AI has gotten better at assuming personalities and analyzing user input, a new use has begun to emerge. Many have begun to turn to AI for its unique capabality of acting as the perfect romantic partner. AI can't turn you down, AI will always validate your feelings (no matter how delusional), and AI wil never leave you. For many people, the perceived social risk of reaching for comapnionship is too high a cost, when you can just open your phone and talk to your AI boy/girlfriend without any such risk.
Effects of Loneliness
Although official statistics on loneliness is hard to come by due to the lack of a standard measuring system for it, anecdotal evidence strongly suggests that adolescents and young adults, particularaly males, are facing a growing epidemic of loneliness, especially after the COVID Pandemic. The CDC reports rates of suicide reaching all-time highs in the years following the pandemic. Rates among men are reported to be around four times higher than that of women. A common reason for suicide is social isolation which is especially prevalant post-lockdown. So what does this mean? Well, if so many young adults and teens are lonely and socially isolated after having key developmental years taken away by COVID, can you blame them for wanting an easy relationship without the baggage of the real world?
What Can We Do?
Trends like these are likely only going to increase as AI gets better and better and comapnies shove it down our throats more and more. However, there is still hope. Here are some steps you can take to help our teens and adults the help they need:
- Reach out to family member and get to know them.
- Send a letter to a lawmaker about potential AI legislation.
- Start or participate in community events.
- Talk to someone new at school.
- Ask out your crush.