I am 42 yo and live in Europe. I think you can have more than 5 good friends, maybe even close to 15 friends, but some of them you will see just once a year, this is how I live. They are still good friends - we connect instantly every time we see each other and we care about each others' lives etc.
The thing with AI: At first it will seem, just as you said, that it helps with loneliness, but in the long turn it's just another thing that keeps you hooked, makes you dependent on technology. And once you are dependent they (the tech-lords) can ask anything of you: more money, more data, anything.
I would rather advocate for caring for a pet or two than "bonding" with AI.
It occurs to me that if, as is the case now, "AI" is not really intelligent, then obviously it is not and cannot be a friend. But, if it WAS really intelligent, then obviously AI "friends" sold to you by companies would STILL not be friends--they would be slaves. The very fact that the morality issue does not come up shows that there's nothing there.
AI is a productivity tool. Imagine if someone said MS’s clippy could be a friend. Or our calculators got our backs. The AI companion crowd are freaking nuts.
If we’re not willing to show up for each other, we don’t get to criticize the tools that do.
For those of us not building traditional families, friendships aren’t extra—they’re essential.
Saying we “don’t have time” for them isn’t just a personal shortcoming, it’s the mindset that made this mess to begin with.
I’m not defending Zuckerberg or his vision. But the root issue here isn’t AI.
AI isn’t the problem. We are.
We’ve been conditioned to expect ease, affirmation, and instant gratification. The moment relationships get hard, we bail. That’s not a tech problem—it’s a cultural one.
If we don’t want AI to replace our friends, we need to get better at being human ones.
I saw a great quote that we continue to always chose the path of least resistance, and in this case, that would be choosing AI friendships over taking the time and effort to build relationships with humans. Sad but true. And as you say, only we can change that
Being a friend and having a friend are not the same thing. Making time for someone does not mean they will be able or willing to make time for you. It's more like a group choice than an individual one.
I promise you, on the life of my first born, that no way in hell did this arise from within Zuck’s brain pan:
“…we will find the vocabulary as a society to be able to articulate why [AI companionship] is valuable, and why the people doing these things are rational for doing it and how it is adding value."
He could never have this articulated something this ‘philosophical.’ I wonder how long it took him to memorize it before the
interview?
And there is no ‘rational’ anywhere for this sort of shit, unless you consider the mental masturbations of a sociopath.
Amen. As always, everything comes down to values. An honest appraisal would be that they’re the reason people don’t have friends and shut down. Cue the Sinclair quote about it’s difficult to get someone to understand something when their pay check depends on them not understanding it. Tho, truth to be told, only a pathological sociopath ever becomes a billionaire in the firstbplace, so I’m pretty sure Zuck is devoid of human values and would steal our children’s minds just for fun.
I am 42 yo and live in Europe. I think you can have more than 5 good friends, maybe even close to 15 friends, but some of them you will see just once a year, this is how I live. They are still good friends - we connect instantly every time we see each other and we care about each others' lives etc.
The thing with AI: At first it will seem, just as you said, that it helps with loneliness, but in the long turn it's just another thing that keeps you hooked, makes you dependent on technology. And once you are dependent they (the tech-lords) can ask anything of you: more money, more data, anything.
I would rather advocate for caring for a pet or two than "bonding" with AI.
Honestly some of these people have to think about caring for themselves first!
Maybe. But there's also another kind of lonely. Not only the mentally ill.
It occurs to me that if, as is the case now, "AI" is not really intelligent, then obviously it is not and cannot be a friend. But, if it WAS really intelligent, then obviously AI "friends" sold to you by companies would STILL not be friends--they would be slaves. The very fact that the morality issue does not come up shows that there's nothing there.
Yeah, it will always be more like having a personal assistant or some kind of on-hand therapist, rather than an organic friendship
15?! I thought Tom was ambitious with Top 8.
AI is a productivity tool. Imagine if someone said MS’s clippy could be a friend. Or our calculators got our backs. The AI companion crowd are freaking nuts.
Tbh I struggle to maintain 3 proper friendships 😂
If we’re not willing to show up for each other, we don’t get to criticize the tools that do.
For those of us not building traditional families, friendships aren’t extra—they’re essential.
Saying we “don’t have time” for them isn’t just a personal shortcoming, it’s the mindset that made this mess to begin with.
I’m not defending Zuckerberg or his vision. But the root issue here isn’t AI.
AI isn’t the problem. We are.
We’ve been conditioned to expect ease, affirmation, and instant gratification. The moment relationships get hard, we bail. That’s not a tech problem—it’s a cultural one.
If we don’t want AI to replace our friends, we need to get better at being human ones.
I saw a great quote that we continue to always chose the path of least resistance, and in this case, that would be choosing AI friendships over taking the time and effort to build relationships with humans. Sad but true. And as you say, only we can change that
Being a friend and having a friend are not the same thing. Making time for someone does not mean they will be able or willing to make time for you. It's more like a group choice than an individual one.
I promise you, on the life of my first born, that no way in hell did this arise from within Zuck’s brain pan:
“…we will find the vocabulary as a society to be able to articulate why [AI companionship] is valuable, and why the people doing these things are rational for doing it and how it is adding value."
He could never have this articulated something this ‘philosophical.’ I wonder how long it took him to memorize it before the
interview?
And there is no ‘rational’ anywhere for this sort of shit, unless you consider the mental masturbations of a sociopath.
Yes, but like Social Media, it feeds our base narcissism, doesn't it?
Amen. As always, everything comes down to values. An honest appraisal would be that they’re the reason people don’t have friends and shut down. Cue the Sinclair quote about it’s difficult to get someone to understand something when their pay check depends on them not understanding it. Tho, truth to be told, only a pathological sociopath ever becomes a billionaire in the firstbplace, so I’m pretty sure Zuck is devoid of human values and would steal our children’s minds just for fun.
My imaginary girlfriend just dumped me 🥸
Probably for the best