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With the raise of AI companions who serve asonline friendsorromantic interests , experts are question how the technology bear upon our real - world social connections and kinship .
allot to Kasley Killam , generator of thesocial health - focused book“The Art and Science of Connection : Why Social Health Is the Missing Key to Living Longer , Healthier , and Happier , ” there may be some benefits to using AI as a tool to practice societal fundamental interaction , but the engineering should only be used to augment , not replace , our personal relationships and literal - macrocosm connections .
On Friday , the societal wellness expert and graduate of the Harvard School of Public Health explained during a jury at the SXSW group discussion in Austin that she was skeptical that AI could improve people ’s societal attainment .
She noted that AI company will often tout the benefit of using their AI companions as a way for people to practice conversation and other societal skills for use in the veridical domain .
“ That may be truthful , ” she state , but she monish that this type of drill should not replace actual - humanity connections .
“ I want to have a society where people feel comfortable and have chance practice that in person — like if we ’re teach this in shoal and practicing it in real clock time , then that just becomes part of our toolkit for how to go about life , ” Killam said .
The writer also observe that while she was researching her book , she found that “ hundreds of millions ” of users were already using AI as a “ friend , as a lover , as a husband , as a wife , as a boyfriend , [ or ] as a girlfriend . ”
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late researchfrom app word provider Appfigures found that AI companion mobile apps were escort over 652 % yr - over - year tax revenue maturation in 2024 , attracting $ 55 million in consumer spending over the course of the year , for representative . The U.S. was the top market for these apps last year , accounting for 30.5 % of entire consumer outgo .
“ I have a good deal of tactual sensation about this , ” Killam said . “ On one hand , I ’m bear on . I ’m come to that we have create a civilization where people feel like they need to turn to AI for company . That ’s bear on . On the other hand , I think that if it ’s in improver to our in - someone human relationship … peradventure that can be dandy . ”
Killam agreed that AI chatbots like ChatGPT could be utile at times , but she recommended that these types of tools are considerably used as “ part of our portfolio ” of social health , not as a replacement for literal relationship .
“ One of the core principles of societal health is that it ’s significant to have various sources , meaning not just one . You do n’t just socialise with your romantic partner and no one else . You have friends , you talk to co - workers , you check - New World chat with the barista , and other people . And so if AI is one of those sources , I ’m overt to that . ”
“ Where it becomes a trouble is when it becomes the only or one of the independent source . ”
She also touch on other arena where technology intersects with social health , including its impact on the loneliness epidemic , our culture of “ busyness , ” and how people now expend metre scroll social medium or listening to or watch media to kill clock time alternatively of talking to other masses .
She suggested sometimes call or texting a friend in your downtime , rather than like a shot turning to technology to keep you think of .
