- Feb 5, 2002
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The complications of creating artificially intelligent robots for service, companionship, or sex have been the plot of movies and TV shows for decades, from “Terminator” to “Bicentennial Man” to “A.I.” to “Westworld.” While some of these entertainment properties portrayed the human-AI relationships as potentially good, others warned of the inevitable, unforeseen dangers. All assumed that such “relationships” are indeed possible, that electronic or robotic entities can achieve self-awareness, human-like emotions, and authentic relationships.
Perhaps the years of being primed by science fiction explains the curiosity about and even openness to relationships with emerging, real-world AI. For example, a group of researchers who analyzed a million ChatGPT conversations recently reported that “sexual role-playing” was the second most prevalent way in which people are relating to AI. Other uses include companionship and even therapy. The Verge reported that the Psychologist bot on one AI character generator service has received more than 95 million messages. The same service allows users to generate a near infinite variety of customizable AI “friends.” A new YouGov/Institute for Family Studies survey of 2,000 adults under age 40 found that 10% of respondents were open to having an AI friendship, while a quarter believed that AI has the potential to replace real-life romantic relationships.
According to another analysis from the Institute for Family Studies, those who tend to believe what was until recently considered fiction fall into two groups: those whose human relationships are already absent or broken; and those who already turn to digital substitutes, especially pornography, for intimacy. In contrast, young adults from intact families are significantly less comfortable treating AI entities like human beings. 61% who still had married parents at age 16 were against AI “friendships,” while only 52% from non-intact households were against them. Those who grew up without married parents were also more likely to say they were “not sure” or have “mixed feelings” about friendships with artificial intelligences.
Continued below.
Perhaps the years of being primed by science fiction explains the curiosity about and even openness to relationships with emerging, real-world AI. For example, a group of researchers who analyzed a million ChatGPT conversations recently reported that “sexual role-playing” was the second most prevalent way in which people are relating to AI. Other uses include companionship and even therapy. The Verge reported that the Psychologist bot on one AI character generator service has received more than 95 million messages. The same service allows users to generate a near infinite variety of customizable AI “friends.” A new YouGov/Institute for Family Studies survey of 2,000 adults under age 40 found that 10% of respondents were open to having an AI friendship, while a quarter believed that AI has the potential to replace real-life romantic relationships.
According to another analysis from the Institute for Family Studies, those who tend to believe what was until recently considered fiction fall into two groups: those whose human relationships are already absent or broken; and those who already turn to digital substitutes, especially pornography, for intimacy. In contrast, young adults from intact families are significantly less comfortable treating AI entities like human beings. 61% who still had married parents at age 16 were against AI “friendships,” while only 52% from non-intact households were against them. Those who grew up without married parents were also more likely to say they were “not sure” or have “mixed feelings” about friendships with artificial intelligences.
Continued below.
