Axios reposted this
For Axios I've been looking into chatbot companions and other apps that offer AI models that simulate human empathy and companionship. Chatbot companions — also called AI girlfriends or boyfriends, personalized AI, social bots, or virtual friends — have been heralded as a cure for loneliness. But critics say they may intensify feelings of isolation and could be especially dangerous for teenagers who already struggle with behavioral challenges. Even ChatGPT creator OpenAI warns against emotional reliance on chatbots. When the company released its newest model — GPT-4o — in August, it published a report explaining that users might form social relationships with AI, "possibly affecting healthy relationships." "Beyond access to problematic content, developers need to consider the accessibility of these tools and the impact that 24/7 access and notification has on kids," Robbie Torney, senior director of AI Programs at Common Sense Media tells Axios. https://lnkd.in/ghH9YnQG
