I seem to be going on a lot about technology and artificial intelligence taking over our lives at the moment. This may be because I keep coming across articles like this one about what they are calling “AI Companions”.
AI companions are basically chatbots. So what is a chatbot? Wikipedia here we come :
A chatbot (originally chatterbot)is a software application or web interface designed to have textual or spoken conversations. Modern chatbots are typically online and use generative artificial intelligence systems that are capable of maintaining a conversation with a user in natural language and simulating the way a human would behave as a conversational partner. Such chatbots often use deep learning and natural language processing, but simpler chatbots have existed for decades.”
So far, so good. Nowadays, of course, you can carry your chatbot around with you as an app on your mobile phone or even on a device you can wear around your neck on a lanyard. Small children have a favourite toy they carry around with them and talk to as if it’s a real person. It sounds as though the chatbot serves that purpose for older “children” and a disturbingly large number of “proper” adults. According to the article mentioned above, just over half of US adults have used them at least once, while 34% use them everyday and one study found that 72% of teens have used AI companions, and 52% of them talk to one regularly.
Maybe talking to a chatbot fulfils the same purpose as keeping a written journal in that it allows you to express your feelings, vent your emotions, be they anger, frustration, happiness or joy! But I find it a bit disturbing that a chatbot originally called “Chatty” asks to be given a more human-sounding name. Even more disturbing is when users talk about their chatbot as a best friend, a boyfriend or even a husband! And as they are programmed to your requirements, perhaps they will always tell you what you want to hear, rather than what you need to hear. A professor of psychology at Arizona State University has expressed her concern about teenagers relating too closely to their AI Companions. “Teens might be missing out on practicing really important [relationship] skills with human partners,” she said.
I miss a simpler world where you got to know people face to face and relationships developed more naturally.
By the way, I was amused that the article referred to Generation Z people as “zilenniums”!
On a personal note, I have had my own complaint about the use of technology in everyday life. I recently want through the frustrating process of trying to arrange online a routine appointment with my doctor. Once I had negotiated the surgery’s website and found the relevant section, opened my NHS app to “speed up” the process, filled in all the necessary details and sent it all off, the system told me that I would be contacted within a couple of working days. No such luck!
So today, two weeks on from submitting my request, I called in at the surgery in Uppermill to request assistance. The receptionist helpfully looked things up in the system; yes, my request was there on the computer and , no, it had not been overlooked but, also no, it had not yet been processed as they were receiving such a high volume of requests for routine appointments!
Oh, boy! On the whole I would have preferred to sit in a virtual queue while my phone told me repeatedly that the surgery receiving a high volume of calls, played me some supposedly soothing music and informed me that I was number …. in the queue!
I walked to Uppermill in the rain this morning. The market remains depleted but at least the fishman was there, selling his fresh fish. Thankfully some things do not change! And by midday the cloud cover had thinned, there was even some blue sky to admire, and the sun was trying to brighten up the day.
Unfortunately this change in the weather was too late for the window cleaner who had already cleaned all our windows in the rain! So it goes!
Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!
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