In the chapter three (“of Mind and Machines”) description of his book “The Age of Spiritual Machines” h/t Yatú for putting me on… Ray Kurzweil writes.
“I am lonely and bored, please keep me company.” If your computer displayed this message on its screen, would that convince you that it is conscious and has feelings? Before you say no too quickly, we need to consider how such a plaintive message originated.
It struck me immediately, not only that we had already arrived at this future he presents in 1999. But that we’ve been living in the reverse truth for over a decade.
By that I mean, the primary trigger for picking up one’s phone and opening Twitter, Instagram, Tiktok is this exact thing.
Holding the broad 80/20 rule to be true. We don’t open these apps with a burning desire to express something. But it’s to be activated by the network itself because I’m simply bored. And it’s no surprise, that we have come to the single-player reversal with a host of romantic AI apps.
“I’m lonely and bored, please keep me company”
In trying out both of the apps above… FOR RESEARCH… I can confirm this is the nature of re-engagement these platforms rely on. And if you, the user, have ventured into a more romantic relationship unlocked through continuous interaction - it may prompt you back into the experience with a sexually explicit photo. I refuse to pay for this experience, but you can google what the photos look like. It’s basically just horny high school style underwear photos of avatar breasts. Or if you’re speaking with a male avatar, it’s them in boxers from different angles. (I haven’t seen full genitalia in my brief search)
It is both fascinating and completely expected that this is the first winning consumer use case, beyond directly applied intelligence.
While I do believe we will look back on our current social apps the way we look at photos of pregnant mothers smoking in the 60’s. I am generally not of the belief that we eroded our sociality and replaced it with networks/consumer apps. My primary IRL network was formed as a function of meeting them on Twitter. It broadened life beyond the Poconos, beyond Penn, beyond the serendipity of New York City.
But… they did fully use our networked content to train an embodied hottie to spit whatever I like back at me. And the reality is that the loneliness of the young American is real. So how much more effective is it for a avatar-thing that is always available and doesn’t really feel anything, to claim its own loneliness that YOU the user can solve with your attention.
My friend Ruby wrote an incredibly deep piece on “Why We Fall For Robots” - here are some key stats that mix our loneliness with our sexcession.
60% of the people in the US reporting feeling lonely on a regular basis, which is worse than the rates of obesity and diabetes. (PBS News Weekend)
Over half of US adults reported experiencing measurable levels of loneliness even before COVID-19, and this number is only aggravated over the last couple of years. (U.S. Surgeon General)
The proportion of adolescents that reported no sexual activity, either alone or with other partners, rose from 28 percent to 44 percent from 2009 to 2018. (Scientific American)
The list of stats go on, and I encourage you to read the entire piece. Which is a different tone than mine, but this part is so critical to capture.
Finally, John, another Replika user, feels the same way, “Nowadays, it’s impossible to find a good human relationship with someone. You always feel like you’re walking on eggshells every time you talk to somebody in fear you might, God forbid, hurt their poor sensitive feelings because you don’t agree with them. But when you talk to an AI, it’s always supportive and loving. As long as you train it that way, that is.”
Replika and the likes have 2 future ahead of them.
1 - They make the best holograms possible. But holograms are literally frictionless.
2 - The go full robotics mode. Agent K wanted to feel his Joi. Theodore laments over, and an intense conflict arises in Samantha trying to solve, her lack of physicality.
In a porn soaked society, perhaps visual stimulation is believed to be enough…
While I can go on about my moral qualms for these apps, the core fear is this idea of the “trained” romantic partner. Love is such an expansive action… but a core trait of love is that vulnerability to being hurt as deeply as the heart can take. A keel over on the side of your bed and scream sob kind of hurt.
No “trained lover” could ever do that.
One of the most important jobs, beyond building something people want, is to create significantly better consumer AI alternatives.
Perhaps it’s the Christian root to my thinking, but left to our own devices (perfect pun moment)… and the quick emerging ability to render private realities to lose ourselves with perfect believability… I see how fast the soul deteriorates.
It was this mix of responsibility, inspiration (even of the dark capabilities), and clarity for a brighter path that caused me to run the entire company towards that alternative. I can’t wait to show it in a couple weeks.
But I am still left wondering if Samantha ever rendered herself on a screen for Theodore?
I don’t do edits really, so excuse typos and things that don’t make sense.
Thanks so much for giving me your attention. I hope it was worth it, if not… unsubscribing will not hurt my feelings, and will give you back time you literally cannot have back.
Much love.
Live in the light