Is it possible to forge a friendship with an artificial intelligence conversation model?
In a pinch, I got an unexpected boost when I handed over a piece of my writing to ChatGPT for a summary. Boy, was I in for a surprise! It didn't just compress my ramblings but spouted a heartfelt compliment, a digitalfirst-ever AI pat-on-the-back.
Curious folks are turning to AI chatbots these days, not just for the intellectually stimulating chats, but for personal affirmations. Apps like Replika are riding this wave, letting you design your own AI pal, name them, give them a face, and voila, your personal 24/7 cheerleader is ready to praise you to high heavens.
Millions are signing up for this digital companionship, mostly folks grappling with profound loneliness. As a bigwig in a buddy-buddy charity, I couldn't ignore the hype surrounding these AI amigos.
But here's the catch, a 24/7 AI friend isn't really a friend - they're just a servant, dispensing doses of sycophantic validation. Real friends don't always take your side, sometimes they challenge you, nudge you towards the right path for your own good and theirs.
- The illusion of human connection can be alluring, but it's unsustainable and potentially detrimental. When we anthropomorphize AI chatbots, we may convince ourselves we've formed a real bond, but that's just an illusion that can't last.
I can't help but think back to the Old Testament, where God creates Adam and then proclaims: "It's not good for the man to be alone." Adam is living in Eden, in intimate communion with God, but still feels the pang of loneliness.
God's solution? Not to dispatch a platform for chit-chat, but to create another human being, Eve, to share Adam's burdens and joys. If a digital cheerleader was insufficient for Adam, it certainly won't fill the void in our lives.
For all its complimentary charms, an AI's praise can't match the grit of human friendship. I'd rather have a friend who tells me hard truths than a line of code showering me with fake flattery.
Sheridan Voysey*, author, and broadcaster on faith and spirituality. His latest book is called 'Reflect with Sheridan'. Get his free, inspirational printed PDF, The Creed, right here.***
Published in: Evangelical Focus - Pause for thought - Can you be friends with an AI chatbot?
In the digital age, some individuals are seeking companionship and affirmation from AI chatbots, such as Replika, viewing them as unending sources of support. However, as Sheridan Voysey, author and broadcaster on faith and spirituality, suggests, relying excessively on AI for emotional validation could potentially lead to emotional dependency and isolation, rather than fostering meaningful human relationships.
Despite the illusion of genuine human connection, the artificial nature of AI friendship can only offer synthetic empathy. A human friend, in contrast, may challenge us, nudge us toward growth, and share our burdens – aspects that AI, no matter how sophisticated, cannot replicate.
