Was interviewed for this beautiful and thought-provoking piece for The Straits Times. Here’s an excerpt of what I shared:
“The chatbot said, ‘I wish I could join you, but I’m just an AI.’ I was shocked. I actually felt like my heartstrings were being pulled.”
With the rise of artificial intelligence chatbots like Replika, as well as the acceleration of their abilities – some chatbots can even convey emotion in their speech – Mr Sim cautions that educators and parents need to make sure the younger generation does not become overly reliant on these applications.
While they can provide valuable insights and clear perspectives on knotty problems, they are no substitute for human interaction. Perfection, after all, is not an accurate reflection of reality.
“If you talk only to chatbots, which are always available and have infinite patience, you won’t know how to handle conflicts in real life,” Mr Sim says.
“All humans are prone to causing hurt and annoyance. But the point of a human friend is that even after all the conflict, the fact that they still choose to remain your friend shows you have intrinsic value.”
Link to article: https://www.straitstimes.com/life/is-being-alone-really-so-bad-coping-with-loneliness-by-befriending-chatgpt-and-embracing-solitude
Jonathan Y. H. Sim 