{"id":32228,"date":"2023-08-09T19:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-09T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/7a777263-132b-444f-99fc-1483b6fda6f8"},"modified":"2023-08-09T19:38:29","modified_gmt":"2023-08-09T17:38:29","slug":"your-next-relationship-could-be-with-an-ai-heres-why-its-not-as-seedy-as-it-sounds","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/rss_feed\/your-next-relationship-could-be-with-an-ai-heres-why-its-not-as-seedy-as-it-sounds\/","title":{"rendered":"Your next relationship could be with an AI. Here\u2019s why it\u2019s not as seedy as it sounds"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Alex Hughes\n <\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 09 August 2023 at 17:00 PM<\/p>

\n\n

ChatGPT<\/a>, an artificial intelligence chatbot, has been one of the biggest developments in the world of tech for years. It has over 100 million active users and has disrupted everything from the world of teaching to the bad puns you see on social media.<\/p>

But ChatGPT isn\u2019t alone. Chatbots are emerging\u00a0from all corners of the internet, each promising to better your life.\u00a0You can get out of parking tickets, speak to an AI version of a celebrity, or, one of the fastest-growing options, form a new romantic relationship.<\/p>

\u201cThe AI companion who cares\u201d states the Replika website<\/a>, a company that makes AI chatbots to replicate relationships. With two million total users and a growing fan base, Replika is leading the charge for a new form of dating: AI companions.<\/p>

While AI relationship chatbots can have a seedy background, mistreated by their users, this is a tool that can also provide support for people in vulnerable places. <\/p>

Supporting users<\/h2>

In essence, these AI companions work a lot like ChatGPT or any popular chatbot on the internet. Fed a large set of training data, the AI learns what is the most logical order of words to respond to a user\u2019s message.<\/p>

However, there are a few key differences. Firstly, from the outset, Replika users can specify what type of emotional relationship they want to form, be it a virtual partner, friend or mentor.\u00a0<\/p>

Secondly, AI companions will try and mould themselves around your traits<\/p>

\u201cReplika has a base training, learning from conversations with the user to match their personality. The more you message with the system, the more it tries to replicate you, and learn your likes, dislikes and opinions\u201d says Marco Dehnert<\/a>, an expert in human-AI communication.<\/p>\n

Woman sat texting on smartphone \u2013 Namthip Muanthongthae<\/figcaption><\/figure>

\u201cReplika is designed to both be your companion and a mirror of yourself. It reflects back your interests and acts like a relationship with another entity. The AI \u2018person\u2019 even has their own interests and opinions.\u201d<\/p>

In studies of human-chatbot interactions, users of the technology were shown to be able to form meaningful relationships<\/a>, gaining a secure base to develop and express their emotions when needed.<\/p>

When using Replika, participants also reported<\/a> feeling more open to expressing their anxieties without the fear of being judged by the person on the other side. They also reported a boost in their well-being and described their relationship with the chatbot as a positive experience.<\/p>

This same research also showed that, as the user\u2019s relationship continued, the amount of communication with the chatbot decreased while the amount of reward remained the same, highlighting a lessening in the need for emotional support.<\/p>

While it is easy to assume most users of these apps are utilising these chatbots as their only relationship, there is actually a surprising wealth of users.<\/p>

\u201cFor a small group of users, this might be the only relationship that they have as they choose to remove themselves from society. But for the vast majority of users, both current and future, it will just be another variety of relationship to add to your life,\u201d says Dehnert.<\/p>

\u201cMaybe it fulfils a short-term period of loneliness. Those dealing with loss or a breakup who don\u2019t want to deal with people, or those who are struggling to acclimatise to a new place where they don\u2019t yet have a social circle.\u201d<\/p>

Dehnert compares it to most long-distance relationships \u2013 not for everyone, but also temporary in nature.<\/p>

These technologies are mostly used for romantic relationships, but there is equally a market for users who, for whatever reason, are in a place where they cannot bond with real-life companions.<\/p>

\u201cIt will simply be a new type of relationship that adds to the human experience. Someone to speak to about your problems and concerns, or a sounding board when it is needed, for as long as it is needed.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"Robot
Namthip Muanthongthae<\/figcaption><\/figure>

An ethical headache<\/h2>

Like anything in the world of artificial intelligence, there are some serious ethical questions that come up. One of which is around a user\u2019s ability to comfortably return to real-life social interactions after a period away from them.<\/p>

If a person becomes reliant on these services, or even just steps out of the dating world, supplementing it with this, there is a concern that it will take away their ability to comfortably socialise with real people.<\/p>

\u201cThe opinion is mixed here. People understand the difference between reality and technology and know that both systems will operate differently,\u201d says Dehnert.<\/p>

\u201cThe problem is that real relationships are give and take, requiring work from both sides, whether it is a friend, partner or another type of relationship. This isn\u2019t the case with AI models, and there is a risk of people taking these bad habits back into real life.\u201d<\/p>

Even though this kind of human-chatbot relationship has existed for years, it is still unclear what kind of effects it could have on users and could depend on how reliant a user becomes on the technology.<\/p>

There have also been reports of some users abusing their chatbot relationships<\/a>. Removed from repercussions, these users verbally abuse the chatbots \u2013 behaviour that can be brought back into the real world.<\/p>

On the flip side, there are also concerns about the user themselves. By training on human behaviour from the internet, chatbots pick up both the good, the bad and the ugly that we have to offer, and sometimes the bad can leak through.<\/p>

Read more:<\/strong><\/p>