Having an intimate, dedicated relationship with another human, full of quirks that make our heart flutter and flaws that test our patience, is continuously underrated as we become more accustomed to finding romance on social media and dating apps that gratify shallow needs sans the emotional labor. The priceless experience of becoming so intertwined with someone that you are forced to face your character in a challenging way and bring out everything hiding in the less flattering, dark crevices of your soul will become increasingly rare as society "progresses." How anyone can be optimistic about this, I'm not too sure.
I agree with your daughter's notion that she is "so done" with A.I. As someone who is planning to go into the legal profession post-grad, I have already seen how attempts have been made to replace parts of the legal discovery process, and have been quite unsure about my future job security (a long shot that lawyers will be replaced, but a scary thought nonetheless). What has given me security in my "battle" against A.I. is knowing that A.I. cannot replace human experiences and emotions such as empathy, love, etc. As technology advances in the direction of replacing humans in romantic and sexual relationships, I become increasingly worried, but remain skeptical. I do not believe that a computer can every entirely replicate human nuance but will always be limited by algorithm and fact, there is no nuance to robotic experience... but what remains worrying is that there are people who don't care if they are missing out on that human connection, and would settle for any connection.
Romance with A.I. is simply the next step in a phenomenon already happening. For example, video games in the life simulator genre, such as the Sims or BitLife, allow the player's character to marry and have kids with a virtual character. Anime is also a popular medium by which people seek romantic/sexual escapism, judging by the prevalence of fanservice and how people talk about "waifus" or "husbandos," almost forgetting that these characters aren’t real people. As said in the video, this is popular because it’s easier than "taking the risks required" for a "real relationship," for those who want one.
1. Gambling, skydiving and driving at high speeds. The underlying commonality in all of these endeavors is the thrill of uncertainty. Will you win, will you survive, will you crash? Humans are hooked on taking chances and not knowing what the future holds. Using AI one can cultivate the perfect companion. Yet with each aspect of romance carefully calculated, humans will tire of this dynamic as it lacks the element of limbo that makes relationships truly enticing. While the possibility of intimacy with robots may invigorate a short-lived thrill, it will never replace the rush of true human connection. 2. The stars shine the brightest when the sky's the darkest and rainbows appear following rain. Beautiful things emerge in the wake of undesirable occurrences. In love, what emerges after toils and hardship is a relationship with grit and strength. With the introduction of AI, difficulty is removed from romance, and simultaneously the ability to overcome is diminished as well. A relationship's greatest attribute is not its high points but its ability to endure hardship and continue loving. With the cultivation of a perfect companion, relationships will lack the emotional depth and connection only fostered by human struggle.
As the Time Traveller in H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine notes when exposed to the Eloi’s indolence, “We are kept keen on the grindstone of pain and necessity.” The Eloi’s environment, free of hardship, similar to the easeful online environment one can log onto to connect romantically, has the power to produce an idle mindset. Personally curating an AI lover to perfection may momentarily feed one’s instant gratification, but soon, the need to get that next fix of dopamine will arise, as no artificial connection produces that deep yearning to stay, like a raw and vulnerable physical relationship does.
AI offering alternatives to human romantic connection is something to be wary of because of how addictive it can be. Having a lover that will not disappoint and fulfill our every fantasy even if it means sacrificing human connection for the sake of convenience will ultimately result in losing connection with the world at large and becoming addicted to the digitized numbness. In addition, it opens the door for abandoning morality. If there is no more value in relationships, then the consumer does not need to be concerned with how they treat their digital partner, only how to seek pleasures.
I do not fear Artificial Intelligence taking over romantic relationships for various reasons. The first reason is that the beauty with relationships is accepting each other’s imperfections and working toward compromises. As mentioned in the video, an appeal of an AI relationship is the human would never be challenged unless AI was programmed to. A functioning relationship involves two people bettering each other, and a one-sided AI relationship will lack that. It is natural for relationships to have their ups and downs, and an AI relationship removes a fundamental part of human behavior. Additionally, I believe humans enjoy working towards a relationship and finding the right person. The convenience of a romantic relationship with a robot voids the feeling of excitement when meeting a new person.
Romance with A.I. is a provocative idea as it allows humans to bypass the inevitable hurt that comes from engaging in relationships with real flesh and blood beings. In society, technology is being increasingly used as a crutch to “make our lives easier” while having the opposite effect: dulling our senses and making us forget that the joy in life often comes from the effort we put into achieving things. When love is digitized and commodified, what is left of what I believe to be one of the most gratifying things humans can experience? Sexual sensation without physical relationships. Love will become something behind a paywall; the joy of organically meeting someone to love and the emotional growth that comes from such will expire.
The scary part for me is that the most beautiful face in the world comes from the ugliest of motives. As we see in Blade Runner 2049, it’s so easy to go head over heels for Joi, to simply forget she’s fake. But in some rare, real moments, we remember. We remember all the numbers and wires and codes that went into that machine of false affection, seeing through the product of beauty and into the terrifying idea behind it all-that we’d sell our love, our selves, for comfort. We are standing on the edge of something deeply hollow.
I have highly considered A.I. in terms of workplace and practical applications, yet the romantic implications are fresh to me. I believe that the ability of a robot to override commands stands at the forefront of A.I. fear and apprehension. As many move into adulthood, robots as a childhood thrill can quickly translate to the possibility of fulfilling a carnal desire. For many, A.I. lovers are appealing as an easy and low-stakes romantic interest. I believe that mutual human emotion is a prerequisite for true love, and therefore impossible with a robot. Much like the pornography shops in The Children of Men, a robot may exist only to satisfy a practical need for the community. Robot love can serve as a surface-level connection, yet true love requires the connection of imperfect individuals to find perfection in each other. Although I am in a long-distance relationship where most communication is virtual, I believe there is a fundamental part of love that includes the connection of two humans. In true love, one must be challenged by their partner in a fulfilling way. The raw and ever-changing feelings of true passion are incapable of the steady and programmed mindset of a robot.
How close AI has grown to sentient is a topic that could be debated in a circle for a long time. The point at which our interaction with robots becomes indistinguishable from other humans could be a good line in the sand for this test. What’s scary is that companies like Google have just in recent weeks unveiled autonomous voice agents with this capability, acting as your own personal assistant for simple phone call tasks. It's terrifying but inevitable that this will one day turn into paid romance with robots.
I think AI’s encroachment on romantic relationships is a valid cause for concern. After all, technology’s advancement and the way it shapes human connections have not always been benign. Take cell phones as an example. They connect some across great gulfs but also create gulfs by alienating those nearby. Even the simplest forms of communication-like acknowledging someone with eye contact and striking up conversations with strangers-have been effectively dismantled by the presence of cell phones. AI will likely compound this problem by promising intimacy but actually yielding estrangement between human beings.
Technological romantic interactions are echo chambers for hierarchical control over a romantic partner. Virtual sexuality is often the first exposure to intimacy that people my age get. As tech becomes more advanced, it releases more hostility in tangible relationships. Groups like “incels,” the online community who have imagined notions of woman’s behavior and their “entitlement” to sex, turn to violence. As a young woman, I have already seen the impact that one-sided virtual relationships have had. To be called “flat” and “too chatty” leads me to believe that virtual manifestations of women are drilling an unrealistic foundation into modern romance.
I, like most people, think it's scary to think of a world of romantic AIs. But, it's already too late to shut down these possibilities. I think the best way to address a lot of the issues presented in this video is by increasing internet safety curriculum and comprehensive sex-ed in schools. These programs can foster more positive romantic relationships and decrease fallback onto AI connections. I think it's natural for humans to turn to alternatives when they feel frustrated or stunted sexually, but we can educate youth to create healthy interpersonal relationships.
Blade Runner 2049 is a great example for your video “Romance with Robots.” In the film, we see K (Ryan Gosling) in a relationship with Joi (Ana De Armas), a simulated girlfriend. As I watched the film, I was rooting for them and their relationship. Joi and K were happy, but you could still see the sadness in K’s face as he realized he couldn’t lay his hands on her. He couldn’t feel her lips or her heartbeat. Joi knew him well, but she could never fully know him, not in the way he wanted. K knew the limits of Joi’s artificial stimulation, but he was so lonely, he was able to settle for the inorganic. Regarding the question Professor M asked in his video, I believe we should resist the transformation of our desires. God made humans; if He wanted us to be [intimate] with artificial intelligence, He would have made Eve a robot. But, I understand the infatuation with A.I. To have no or very little conflict with something-someone sounds amazing, but inorganic relationships go against God’s purpose for our lives.
At the end of H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine,, the narrator describes the only definite sign of humanity seeming to be left in the traveller’s dystopic relation of the future: the “gratitude and mutual tenderness” of humankind. Even as we seek out qualities of satisfaction and sexual fulfillment in AI, it is immoral to think that an individual can completely disregard their dire need for thoughtful interaction. Normalizing people that claim to find their contentment in AI is the same as finding regularity in murder; we are enacting a normalcy of disengaged, dehumanizing behavior, and fueling evil thoughts and ideas contributing to sexual objectification.
Real human connection is vital to the wellbeing of individuals, as can be seen through psychology studies on the effects of human interaction amongst children. A world in which computer generated relationships become common is a world that lacks human connection and promotes individual fantasy. Artificial companionship cannot replace real intimacy and love. The movies Free Guy and Ready Player One, as well as multiple Black Mirror episodes, explore this concept between virtual love and real world connection, and the implied message is always that an individual needs real world companionship.
Although a genuine romantic connection with another human being can cause severe suffering, these feelings of pain are necessary for our growth and transformation as spiritual beings. With the increase of A.I. relationships, we will be limiting ourselves from our ability to experience the depths of joy and sorrow. In Blade Runner 2049, Ryan Gosling purchases an upgrade for his A.I. partner. Are we to use financial means every time we desire our A.I. to express more “emotion”? Even then, A.I. will be unable to measure up to the complex and beautiful spectrum of human expression.
From the moment we wake up, to when we go to bed, not many things are completely predictable. We might get in a car accident on a route we take daily, yet we don’t let that stop us from getting to our destination. Why should the unpredictability of someone else’s thoughts stop us from pursuing relationships? I think the unknown makes relationships important in my life. Without the certainty of knowing what they are thinking, I must build trust with others in order to create intimate relationships. Gaining that trust is exhilarating and should be something to strive for.
Romance with AI poses a question of power dynamics between both AI provider and client and the AI itself and the client. Since we live in a capitalist system, the user must pay to access the full capabilities of modern artificial intelligence. Today, we’d consider it odd to pay a subscription fee to “access” one’s life partner. By entering a romantic relationship with an AI, one must grant significant power over their emotional life to a faceless corporation. On the other hand, an AI that is capable of simulating love may be somewhat capable of feeling it; those who love AI certainly believe that they are. What does this imply about how we treat AIs? Do they have the right, or even the capacity, to break up with a human? We must be careful to avoid reinforcing negative messages about the nature of relationships and enabling abuse.
AI can’t replace real connection for most people, but it could offer solace to those whose chances of real connection are already slim. I’m reminded of the strange, lonely men and women on shows like 90 Day Fiance and Catfish. These people fell in love with people who might as well be computer generated; they make up identities and feelings and tell these lonely souls exactly what they need to hear for money, citizenship, or whatever they may need. Lonely people are willing to overlook some major “glitches” in their supposed lovers. AI romances are equally false but an AI is not going to use you, the hopeless few people who can’t find love can fill a void with no one being harmed.
In today's world AI is very advanced, but I don't think it can replace human connection. Humans are very social people who form relationships to share emotions and companionship with someone. In I Am Legend by Richard Matheson, Robert desires human contact; although his era is not technologically advanced, he wants someone that's made out of flesh and blood. AI can be altered to one's desires, but it will never provide warmth like an actual human or foster real connection.
Over the past year the acceleration of AI technology has made a profound impact on how we are viewing the world. CarynAI is the newest sellable form of connection. Acting as an AI datebot, the program has netted more than $71,610 dollars within the first two weeks of its launch, illuminating the demand for low risk affection. Although this is a concerning sign to me and many others for how humans will interact in the future, it is something that we should study so we can ensure it does not lead to the degradation of human interaction.
I realized humans could love technology when my tamagotchi pet died. I was a mess. If we can mourn the loss of techno-egg-pets, what’s to say sophisticated A.I. won’t evoke the same emotion? In the third season of the anime Sword Art Online, the protagonist is inserted into a virtual reality where his human memories are suppressed. When he and an A.I. return to the real world, they grapple to teach humanity that an A.I. is much like a soul compacted into code. Are loving connections then invalid if the A.I. didn’t know it wasn’t human in the first place?
Our generation has grown up with the implementation of “useful” technology in our lives, and it has started to do worse than good. Perfection, and society’s ideas of what perfection should be, are shoved down our throats through various media outlets painting the “ideal person”. Envy is a part of human nature and AI makes it easy to give us what we want without working for it, to better improve ourselves. Real human relationships can never be replaced by technology; AI cannot pick up the nuances of body language or the complexity of emotions only understood by other humans.
I strongly feel that there will come a time when certain people start seeing AI as more of a viable option than setting foot into the world of romance, but I still feel that our interpersonal relationships will triumph over the allure of AI. Having a programmable partner who caters to every need is just too convenient. Humans simply crave the unpredictability of a romantic relationship - an AI alternative would most certainly fail to meet our expectations. In all these sci-fi dystopic worlds, sexual relationships were merely state-enforced, not individually sought out. That speaks volumes of what we value.
In all paths to success, there are shortcuts to the satisfaction of completion. Many people find a similar dopamine release when speaking of their future goals as they’d receive from completing them. I find myself consistently tempted to succumb to less rewarding gratifications. Using AI to fill the romantic void in our lives, like many forms of instant gratification, will shield us from opportunities of what we truly seek. When someone knows that there are parts of me that are irritating, unmastered, and flawed and loves me nevertheless my soul is content. AI can only feign this embodiment of love.
The reality that technology allows for realistic, romantic relationships to be attainable in just a few clicks, is horrific to me. This will allow people to create intimate, romantic relationships with what they personally fetishize. A Catholic priest from my hometown was arrested for child pornography, and had discussed on the internet wanting to murder children and rape them. Recognizing that people, like that priest, will no longer be subjected to social expectations regarding romance, and will be affirmed in their fetishes thanks to hyper-realistic A.I., is enough for me to be terrified for the future of artificial romance.
Recently, I ‘ironically’ attended a rationalist conference where I had the opportunity to meet Aella, a twitter-infamous sex worker lauded within that community. She had just fine-tuned an LLM on a corpus of her own writing in order to provide a personalized ‘girlfriend experience’ to whomever desires it. There’s no technical reason it can’t indistinguishably mimic relational consequence, having the capacity to act offended, flattered, to accept or reject advances. What happens when porn isn’t gifted, but worked for - with adjustable sliders determining how well you have to play your cards. Is it porn, a cyber-brothel, or something more grotesque?
The notion of romance and relationships between AI and humans most definitely frightening. One of the fundamental aspects of human connection is ability to challenge and stimulate each other's minds, fostering personal growth and intellectual depth. While AI can stimulate emotions and provide companionship, it lacks the inherent human qualities that make relationships truly enriching. Furthermore, the potential power dynamics and ethical considerations surrounding AI relationships raise valid concerns. It is crucial to recognize and preserve the unique qualities and complexities of human-to-human connections, ensuring that technology enhances rather than replaces them.
Over the past couple of years, AI has made its appearance time and time again, throughout movies, tv shows, and now it is even intelligent enough to do our homework. I have seen many of my friends use the software to ask it for dating advice and questions that will help them with their daily life. I find it disappointing that friends of mine have decided to rely on a computer to make life decisions for themselves. The influence of technology has already proven to be negatively affecting our cognition, I worry for when AI takes the mobile form we will be unable to resist the easy life it continues to provide for us.
Unfortunately, this worrisome trend has grown exponentially- especially in recent months. An example that comes to mind is the chatbot program Replika, a tailored experience which many young men and women have turned to for comfort and intimacy. After a particular software update, many clamored to online threads to desperately ask why their bot had “broken up” with them, with some users being genuinely devastated by this loss. This obsession is reminiscent of the worship seen in Forster’s The Machine Stops, as users cling to these artificial relationships like Vashti futilely clings to the machine. It is an empty connection.
Society is already highly dependent on AI. If people become romantically attached to AI, we are headed down a path of estranged human relationships. Photorealistic video games and provocative characters in children's shows provide subconscious developmental issues with how children and young adults perceive themselves and others. Yet, this is a fixable issue, whereas falling in love with AI is likely not. The preference of having someone constantly praising you, rather than challenging you, sets back human communication. The challenges of a relationship are how humans develop, without such problems people will become increasingly selfish.
Though my initial reaction to hearing said reports may be a sudden sense of fear, I must snap to reality and recognize that I am NOT living in George Lucas’s dystopia, where humanity is governed by artificial intelligence and interpersonal intimacy is a crime. Humanity has YET to abdicate their rights to artificial intelligence governors and society has yet to make romance with another human illegal. Improving technology threatens to provide a tempting substitute to human intimacy. The siren calls of these alternatives grow louder by the minute. Ultimately, the choice remains, and the responsibility falls squarely on the individual.
Ideally I always pictured robot-human companionship in the terms of Baymax, and C3PO. Both of whom serve an over-arching purpose, but became more human in their quest to fulfill that purpose. Ultimately, proving that they're greater than the sum of their parts (literally). But unfortunately humans are not universally moral. A small percentage of people would likely mentally or physically "abuse" (can you abuse a robot/AI?) a conscious robot, especially if it is designed/supposed to provide intimacy/pleasure. An ever consenting (or even worse, non-consenting) robot would allow people to indulge in all of their darkest most violent sexual fantasies. Thus contorting peoples already conflated ideas on the definitions of sex and intimacy. I personally cannot see a future in which intimate relationships with robots/AI's is ever a good idea.
Originally, I hoped human-AI relationships would resemble those depicted in children's movies. How to Build a Better Boy and Pixel Perfect require the protagonists to realize the value in their human connections over their non-human ones. However, adult film and literature offer a potentially more realistic view. In Westworld, Ex Machina, and Megan, the human-AI relationships are destructive. Through programmed personalities and behaviors, the characters in these stories learn to love and trust AI over any human. This outcome is not only unhealthy, but fundamentally hazardous, as AI can be programmed to behave in any way its creator chooses.
The K-pop industry is a prime example of feigned intimacy in lieu of personal relationships, with time-space compression technologies (e.g. livestreaming) enabling these delusional behaviors. With the increasing access to idols, the parasocial relationship between audience and idol deepens as the fan serves as a voyeur, interacting with their idol via these technologies while simultaneously projecting their own romantic/sexual fantasies of the idol. While AI tech should be criticized for its role in cultivating this imbalanced relationship, capitalism should also be held responsible, as money incentivizes this access to idols which leads to their objectification for the audience's desires.
We should not join those who welcome artificial intelligence as a viable alternative connection to human connection because it will lead to a loss of emotion. The basis of a human relationship is communication from both of the involved parties. I appreciate my life's current happiness more because I have been in pain before. If all I knew was happiness it would make happiness lose its meaning because you would have nothing to reference as different. Being loved all the time would make it seem meaningless as nothing you did could ever change the AI’s feelings towards you.
Some notable references unfortunately omitted I would love to hear your take on: Spike Jonze's 2013 "Her" starring Joaquin Phoenix, Westworld (both the 1973 film and HBO's 2016 series adaptation), and Netflix's mini series "Love, Death, and Robots." All three of these explore this idea (in a rather dystopian way) of intimacy with AI & what that means for the future of humanity
Westworld and Her were definitely in the background of my mind while creating this entry (in addition to Battlestar Galactica--the reboot). If you want me to respond to "Love, Death, and Robots," you'll have to point to a particular episode (I've seen them all). Her (2013) most definitely aligns with the concern I'm expressing about insular folk becoming still more insular by relying on A.I.--whether disembodied, in that film, or embodied in some distant future where androids appear more human. (Scarlett Johannson "embodies" the A.I. she plays since many viewers will recognize her voice even though they never see her.). The film Her does, however, take the same route as The Lawnmower Man (1992) in suggesting that A.I. might somehow . . . transcend and become god-like. That seems a bit fantastical to me, as do the androids in Westworld and Battlestar that are virtually indistinguishable from humans. When I express concern about horny isolated guys settling for robots, I'm not imaging robots so realistic that we could actually mistake them for humans. I am, however, imagining quite a few steps above the blow-up dolls some folk get off on/in, as in Lars and the Real Girl (2007). Unfortunately, I don't think a lack of high mimesis will matter for some, because the safety of a machine will far outweigh the risk of shame and relational failure.
The evidence you provided early in the video does not suffice for proving the simulacra of romanticism. Lionel does not kiss the statue of Psyche to imitate that of his wife, he knows she is long gone. The imitation of real-life romantic partners I would argue only comes with our current rise in AI. Look to earlier representations of AI such as C-3PO or HAL 9000, they are clearly not human. But as you point out, artists today portray AI and other human imitations as extremely "attractive" and worthy of being in a relationship with, a true imitation.
I'm not convinced that AI is automatically a simulacrum of intimacy. Your premise indicates that AI cannot overcome what we have programmed it to do. Facebook already implements artificial intelligence, and to nobody’s surprise, its management team can't explain why the program makes certain decisions. Spike Jonze's film, Her (2013) shows how the construction of one's own private fantasy might become overridden in the face of true AI. 1st Corinthians 13 doesn’t account for the dual struggle that develops on part of the machine when given the advent of infinite knowledge and bandwidth of experience when coupled against its humanity.
I worry about the consequences of introducing realistic humanoid robots into our already problematic sexual culture. Advertising fantasy and immediate sexual gratification without the necessity of consent, respect, and love may lead to an endorsement of the unnatural power dynamic between robots and their owners. In the most severe cases, some will use sex robots as outlets for indulging their violent sexual fantasies, which may lead to an increase in sexual violence between humans. Furthermore, it is highly improbable that individuals will cure their loneliness through these erotic relationships, as they lack the authentic intimacy necessary for emotional fulfillment.
Having an intimate, dedicated relationship with another human, full of quirks that make our heart flutter and flaws that test our patience, is continuously underrated as we become more accustomed to finding romance on social media and dating apps that gratify shallow needs sans the emotional labor. The priceless experience of becoming so intertwined with someone that you are forced to face your character in a challenging way and bring out everything hiding in the less flattering, dark crevices of your soul will become increasingly rare as society "progresses." How anyone can be optimistic about this, I'm not too sure.
I agree with your daughter's notion that she is "so done" with A.I. As someone who is planning to go into the legal profession post-grad, I have already seen how attempts have been made to replace parts of the legal discovery process, and have been quite unsure about my future job security (a long shot that lawyers will be replaced, but a scary thought nonetheless). What has given me security in my "battle" against A.I. is knowing that A.I. cannot replace human experiences and emotions such as empathy, love, etc. As technology advances in the direction of replacing humans in romantic and sexual relationships, I become increasingly worried, but remain skeptical. I do not believe that a computer can every entirely replicate human nuance but will always be limited by algorithm and fact, there is no nuance to robotic experience... but what remains worrying is that there are people who don't care if they are missing out on that human connection, and would settle for any connection.
Romance with A.I. is simply the next step in a phenomenon already happening. For example, video games in the life simulator genre, such as the Sims or BitLife, allow the player's character to marry and have kids with a virtual character. Anime is also a popular medium by which people seek romantic/sexual escapism, judging by the prevalence of fanservice and how people talk about "waifus" or "husbandos," almost forgetting that these characters aren’t real people. As said in the video, this is popular because it’s easier than "taking the risks required" for a "real relationship," for those who want one.
1. Gambling, skydiving and driving at high speeds. The underlying commonality in all of these endeavors is the thrill of uncertainty. Will you win, will you survive, will you crash? Humans are hooked on taking chances and not knowing what the future holds. Using AI one can cultivate the perfect companion. Yet with each aspect of romance carefully calculated, humans will tire of this dynamic as it lacks the element of limbo that makes relationships truly enticing. While the possibility of intimacy with robots may invigorate a short-lived thrill, it will never replace the rush of true human connection.
2. The stars shine the brightest when the sky's the darkest and rainbows appear following rain. Beautiful things emerge in the wake of undesirable occurrences. In love, what emerges after toils and hardship is a relationship with grit and strength. With the introduction of AI, difficulty is removed from romance, and simultaneously the ability to overcome is diminished as well. A relationship's greatest attribute is not its high points but its ability to endure hardship and continue loving. With the cultivation of a perfect companion, relationships will lack the emotional depth and connection only fostered by human struggle.
As the Time Traveller in H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine notes when exposed to the Eloi’s indolence, “We are kept keen on the grindstone of pain and necessity.” The Eloi’s environment, free of hardship, similar to the easeful online environment one can log onto to connect romantically, has the power to produce an idle mindset. Personally curating an AI lover to perfection may momentarily feed one’s instant gratification, but soon, the need to get that next fix of dopamine will arise, as no artificial connection produces that deep yearning to stay, like a raw and vulnerable physical relationship does.
AI offering alternatives to human romantic connection is something to be wary of because of how addictive it can be. Having a lover that will not disappoint and fulfill our every fantasy even if it means sacrificing human connection for the sake of convenience will ultimately result in losing connection with the world at large and becoming addicted to the digitized numbness. In addition, it opens the door for abandoning morality. If there is no more value in relationships, then the consumer does not need to be concerned with how they treat their digital partner, only how to seek pleasures.
I do not fear Artificial Intelligence taking over romantic relationships for various reasons. The first reason is that the beauty with relationships is accepting each other’s imperfections and working toward compromises. As mentioned in the video, an appeal of an AI relationship is the human would never be challenged unless AI was programmed to. A functioning relationship involves two people bettering each other, and a one-sided AI relationship will lack that. It is natural for relationships to have their ups and downs, and an AI relationship removes a fundamental part of human behavior. Additionally, I believe humans enjoy working towards a relationship and finding the right person. The convenience of a romantic relationship with a robot voids the feeling of excitement when meeting a new person.
Romance with A.I. is a provocative idea as it allows humans to bypass the inevitable hurt that comes from engaging in relationships with real flesh and blood beings. In society, technology is being increasingly used as a crutch to “make our lives easier” while having the opposite effect: dulling our senses and making us forget that the joy in life often comes from the effort we put into achieving things. When love is digitized and commodified, what is left of what I believe to be one of the most gratifying things humans can experience? Sexual sensation without physical relationships. Love will become something behind a paywall; the joy of organically meeting someone to love and the emotional growth that comes from such will expire.
The scary part for me is that the most beautiful face in the world comes from the ugliest of motives. As we see in Blade Runner 2049, it’s so easy to go head over heels for Joi, to simply forget she’s fake. But in some rare, real moments, we remember. We remember all the numbers and wires and codes that went into that machine of false affection, seeing through the product of beauty and into the terrifying idea behind it all-that we’d sell our love, our selves, for comfort. We are standing on the edge of something deeply hollow.
I have highly considered A.I. in terms of workplace and practical applications, yet the romantic implications are fresh to me. I believe that the ability of a robot to override commands stands at the forefront of A.I. fear and apprehension. As many move into adulthood, robots as a childhood thrill can quickly translate to the possibility of fulfilling a carnal desire. For many, A.I. lovers are appealing as an easy and low-stakes romantic interest. I believe that mutual human emotion is a prerequisite for true love, and therefore impossible with a robot. Much like the pornography shops in The Children of Men, a robot may exist only to satisfy a practical need for the community. Robot love can serve as a surface-level connection, yet true love requires the connection of imperfect individuals to find perfection in each other. Although I am in a long-distance relationship where most communication is virtual, I believe there is a fundamental part of love that includes the connection of two humans. In true love, one must be challenged by their partner in a fulfilling way. The raw and ever-changing feelings of true passion are incapable of the steady and programmed mindset of a robot.
How close AI has grown to sentient is a topic that could be debated in a circle for a long time. The point at which our interaction with robots becomes indistinguishable from other humans could be a good line in the sand for this test. What’s scary is that companies like Google have just in recent weeks unveiled autonomous voice agents with this capability, acting as your own personal assistant for simple phone call tasks. It's terrifying but inevitable that this will one day turn into paid romance with robots.
I think AI’s encroachment on romantic relationships is a valid cause for concern. After all, technology’s advancement and the way it shapes human connections have not always been benign. Take cell phones as an example. They connect some across great gulfs but also create gulfs by alienating those nearby. Even the simplest forms of communication-like acknowledging someone with eye contact and striking up conversations with strangers-have been effectively dismantled by the presence of cell phones. AI will likely compound this problem by promising intimacy but actually yielding estrangement between human beings.
Technological romantic interactions are echo chambers for hierarchical control over a romantic partner. Virtual sexuality is often the first exposure to intimacy that people my age get. As tech becomes more advanced, it releases more hostility in tangible relationships. Groups like “incels,” the online community who have imagined notions of woman’s behavior and their “entitlement” to sex, turn to violence. As a young woman, I have already seen the impact that one-sided virtual relationships have had. To be called “flat” and “too chatty” leads me to believe that virtual manifestations of women are drilling an unrealistic foundation into modern romance.
I, like most people, think it's scary to think of a world of romantic AIs. But, it's already too late to shut down these possibilities. I think the best way to address a lot of the issues presented in this video is by increasing internet safety curriculum and comprehensive sex-ed in schools. These programs can foster more positive romantic relationships and decrease fallback onto AI connections. I think it's natural for humans to turn to alternatives when they feel frustrated or stunted sexually, but we can educate youth to create healthy interpersonal relationships.
Blade Runner 2049 is a great example for your video “Romance with Robots.” In the film, we see K (Ryan Gosling) in a relationship with Joi (Ana De Armas), a simulated girlfriend. As I watched the film, I was rooting for them and their relationship. Joi and K were happy, but you could still see the sadness in K’s face as he realized he couldn’t lay his hands on her. He couldn’t feel her lips or her heartbeat. Joi knew him well, but she could never fully know him, not in the way he wanted. K knew the limits of Joi’s artificial stimulation, but he was so lonely, he was able to settle for the inorganic. Regarding the question Professor M asked in his video, I believe we should resist the transformation of our desires. God made humans; if He wanted us to be [intimate] with artificial intelligence, He would have made Eve a robot. But, I understand the infatuation with A.I. To have no or very little conflict with something-someone sounds amazing, but inorganic relationships go against God’s purpose for our lives.
At the end of H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine,, the narrator describes the only definite sign of humanity seeming to be left in the traveller’s dystopic relation of the future: the “gratitude and mutual tenderness” of humankind. Even as we seek out qualities of satisfaction and sexual fulfillment in AI, it is immoral to think that an individual can completely disregard their dire need for thoughtful interaction. Normalizing people that claim to find their contentment in AI is the same as finding regularity in murder; we are enacting a normalcy of disengaged, dehumanizing behavior, and fueling evil thoughts and ideas contributing to sexual objectification.
Real human connection is vital to the wellbeing of individuals, as can be seen through psychology studies on the effects of human interaction amongst children. A world in which computer generated relationships become common is a world that lacks human connection and promotes individual fantasy. Artificial companionship cannot replace real intimacy and love. The movies Free Guy and Ready Player One, as well as multiple Black Mirror episodes, explore this concept between virtual love and real world connection, and the implied message is always that an individual needs real world companionship.
Although a genuine romantic connection with another human being can cause severe suffering, these feelings of pain are necessary for our growth and transformation as spiritual beings. With the increase of A.I. relationships, we will be limiting ourselves from our ability to experience the depths of joy and sorrow.
In Blade Runner 2049, Ryan Gosling purchases an upgrade for his A.I. partner. Are we to use financial means every time we desire our A.I. to express more “emotion”? Even then, A.I. will be unable to measure up to the complex and beautiful spectrum of human expression.
From the moment we wake up, to when we go to bed, not many things are completely predictable. We might get in a car accident on a route we take daily, yet we don’t let that stop us from getting to our destination. Why should the unpredictability of someone else’s thoughts stop us from pursuing relationships? I think the unknown makes relationships important in my life. Without the certainty of knowing what they are thinking, I must build trust with others in order to create intimate relationships. Gaining that trust is exhilarating and should be something to strive for.
Romance with AI poses a question of power dynamics between both AI provider and client and the AI itself and the client. Since we live in a capitalist system, the user must pay to access the full capabilities of modern artificial intelligence. Today, we’d consider it odd to pay a subscription fee to “access” one’s life partner. By entering a romantic relationship with an AI, one must grant significant power over their emotional life to a faceless corporation. On the other hand, an AI that is capable of simulating love may be somewhat capable of feeling it; those who love AI certainly believe that they are. What does this imply about how we treat AIs? Do they have the right, or even the capacity, to break up with a human? We must be careful to avoid reinforcing negative messages about the nature of relationships and enabling abuse.
AI can’t replace real connection for most people, but it could offer solace to those whose chances of real connection are already slim. I’m reminded of the strange, lonely men and women on shows like 90 Day Fiance and Catfish. These people fell in love with people who might as well be computer generated; they make up identities and feelings and tell these lonely souls exactly what they need to hear for money, citizenship, or whatever they may need. Lonely people are willing to overlook some major “glitches” in their supposed lovers. AI romances are equally false but an AI is not going to use you, the hopeless few people who can’t find love can fill a void with no one being harmed.
In today's world AI is very advanced, but I don't think it can replace human connection. Humans are very social people who form relationships to share emotions and companionship with someone. In I Am Legend by Richard Matheson, Robert desires human contact; although his era is not technologically advanced, he wants someone that's made out of flesh and blood. AI can be altered to one's desires, but it will never provide warmth like an actual human or foster real connection.
Over the past year the acceleration of AI technology has made a profound impact on how we are viewing the world. CarynAI is the newest sellable form of connection. Acting as an AI datebot, the program has netted more than $71,610 dollars within the first two weeks of its launch, illuminating the demand for low risk affection. Although this is a concerning sign to me and many others for how humans will interact in the future, it is something that we should study so we can ensure it does not lead to the degradation of human interaction.
I realized humans could love technology when my tamagotchi pet died. I was a mess. If we can mourn the loss of techno-egg-pets, what’s to say sophisticated A.I. won’t evoke the same emotion? In the third season of the anime Sword Art Online, the protagonist is inserted into a virtual reality where his human memories are suppressed. When he and an A.I. return to the real world, they grapple to teach humanity that an A.I. is much like a soul compacted into code. Are loving connections then invalid if the A.I. didn’t know it wasn’t human in the first place?
Our generation has grown up with the implementation of “useful” technology in our lives, and it has started to do worse than good. Perfection, and society’s ideas of what perfection should be, are shoved down our throats through various media outlets painting the “ideal person”. Envy is a part of human nature and AI makes it easy to give us what we want without working for it, to better improve ourselves. Real human relationships can never be replaced by technology; AI cannot pick up the nuances of body language or the complexity of emotions only understood by other humans.
I strongly feel that there will come a time when certain people start seeing AI as more of a viable option than setting foot into the world of romance, but I still feel that our interpersonal relationships will triumph over the allure of AI.
Having a programmable partner who caters to every need is just too convenient. Humans simply crave the unpredictability of a romantic relationship - an AI alternative would most certainly fail to meet our expectations.
In all these sci-fi dystopic worlds, sexual relationships were merely state-enforced, not individually sought out. That speaks volumes of what we value.
In all paths to success, there are shortcuts to the satisfaction of completion. Many people find a similar dopamine release when speaking of their future goals as they’d receive from completing them. I find myself consistently tempted to succumb to less rewarding gratifications. Using AI to fill the romantic void in our lives, like many forms of instant gratification, will shield us from opportunities of what we truly seek. When someone knows that there are parts of me that are irritating, unmastered, and flawed and loves me nevertheless my soul is content. AI can only feign this embodiment of love.
The reality that technology allows for realistic, romantic relationships to be attainable in just a few clicks, is horrific to me. This will allow people to create intimate, romantic relationships with what they personally fetishize. A Catholic priest from my hometown was arrested for child pornography, and had discussed on the internet wanting to murder children and rape them. Recognizing that people, like that priest, will no longer be subjected to social expectations regarding romance, and will be affirmed in their fetishes thanks to hyper-realistic A.I., is enough for me to be terrified for the future of artificial romance.
Recently, I ‘ironically’ attended a rationalist conference where I had the opportunity to meet Aella, a twitter-infamous sex worker lauded within that community. She had just fine-tuned an LLM on a corpus of her own writing in order to provide a personalized ‘girlfriend experience’ to whomever desires it. There’s no technical reason it can’t indistinguishably mimic relational consequence, having the capacity to act offended, flattered, to accept or reject advances. What happens when porn isn’t gifted, but worked for - with adjustable sliders determining how well you have to play your cards. Is it porn, a cyber-brothel, or something more grotesque?
The notion of romance and relationships between AI and humans most definitely frightening. One of the fundamental aspects of human connection is ability to challenge and stimulate each other's minds, fostering personal growth and intellectual depth. While AI can stimulate emotions and provide companionship, it lacks the inherent human qualities that make relationships truly enriching. Furthermore, the potential power dynamics and ethical considerations surrounding AI relationships raise valid concerns. It is crucial to recognize and preserve the unique qualities and complexities of human-to-human connections, ensuring that technology enhances rather than replaces them.
Over the past couple of years, AI has made its appearance time and time again, throughout movies, tv shows, and now it is even intelligent enough to do our homework. I have seen many of my friends use the software to ask it for dating advice and questions that will help them with their daily life. I find it disappointing that friends of mine have decided to rely on a computer to make life decisions for themselves. The influence of technology has already proven to be negatively affecting our cognition, I worry for when AI takes the mobile form we will be unable to resist the easy life it continues to provide for us.
Unfortunately, this worrisome trend has grown exponentially- especially in recent months. An example that comes to mind is the chatbot program Replika, a tailored experience which many young men and women have turned to for comfort and intimacy. After a particular software update, many clamored to online threads to desperately ask why their bot had “broken up” with them, with some users being genuinely devastated by this loss. This obsession is reminiscent of the worship seen in Forster’s The Machine Stops, as users cling to these artificial relationships like Vashti futilely clings to the machine. It is an empty connection.
Society is already highly dependent on AI. If people become romantically attached to AI, we are headed down a path of estranged human relationships. Photorealistic video games and provocative characters in children's shows provide subconscious developmental issues with how children and young adults perceive themselves and others. Yet, this is a fixable issue, whereas falling in love with AI is likely not. The preference of having someone constantly praising you, rather than challenging you, sets back human communication. The challenges of a relationship are how humans develop, without such problems people will become increasingly selfish.
Though my initial reaction to hearing said reports may be a sudden sense of fear, I must snap to reality and recognize that I am NOT living in George Lucas’s dystopia, where humanity is governed by artificial intelligence and interpersonal intimacy is a crime. Humanity has YET to abdicate their rights to artificial intelligence governors and society has yet to make romance with another human illegal. Improving technology threatens to provide a tempting substitute to human intimacy. The siren calls of these alternatives grow louder by the minute. Ultimately, the choice remains, and the responsibility falls squarely on the individual.
Ideally I always pictured robot-human companionship in the terms of Baymax, and C3PO. Both of whom serve an over-arching purpose, but became more human in their quest to fulfill that purpose. Ultimately, proving that they're greater than the sum of their parts (literally). But unfortunately humans are not universally moral. A small percentage of people would likely mentally or physically "abuse" (can you abuse a robot/AI?) a conscious robot, especially if it is designed/supposed to provide intimacy/pleasure. An ever consenting (or even worse, non-consenting) robot would allow people to indulge in all of their darkest most violent sexual fantasies. Thus contorting peoples already conflated ideas on the definitions of sex and intimacy. I personally cannot see a future in which intimate relationships with robots/AI's is ever a good idea.
Originally, I hoped human-AI relationships would resemble those depicted in children's movies. How to Build a Better Boy and Pixel Perfect require the protagonists to realize the value in their human connections over their non-human ones. However, adult film and literature offer a potentially more realistic view. In Westworld, Ex Machina, and Megan, the human-AI relationships are destructive. Through programmed personalities and behaviors, the characters in these stories learn to love and trust AI over any human. This outcome is not only unhealthy, but fundamentally hazardous, as AI can be programmed to behave in any way its creator chooses.
The K-pop industry is a prime example of feigned intimacy in lieu of personal relationships, with time-space compression technologies (e.g. livestreaming) enabling these delusional behaviors. With the increasing access to idols, the parasocial relationship between audience and idol deepens as the fan serves as a voyeur, interacting with their idol via these technologies while simultaneously projecting their own romantic/sexual fantasies of the idol. While AI tech should be criticized for its role in cultivating this imbalanced relationship, capitalism should also be held responsible, as money incentivizes this access to idols which leads to their objectification for the audience's desires.
We should not join those who welcome artificial intelligence as a viable alternative connection to human connection because it will lead to a loss of emotion. The basis of a human relationship is communication from both of the involved parties. I appreciate my life's current happiness more because I have been in pain before. If all I knew was happiness it would make happiness lose its meaning because you would have nothing to reference as different. Being loved all the time would make it seem meaningless as nothing you did could ever change the AI’s feelings towards you.
Some notable references unfortunately omitted I would love to hear your take on: Spike Jonze's 2013 "Her" starring Joaquin Phoenix, Westworld (both the 1973 film and HBO's 2016 series adaptation), and Netflix's mini series "Love, Death, and Robots." All three of these explore this idea (in a rather dystopian way) of intimacy with AI & what that means for the future of humanity
Westworld and Her were definitely in the background of my mind while creating this entry (in addition to Battlestar Galactica--the reboot). If you want me to respond to "Love, Death, and Robots," you'll have to point to a particular episode (I've seen them all). Her (2013) most definitely aligns with the concern I'm expressing about insular folk becoming still more insular by relying on A.I.--whether disembodied, in that film, or embodied in some distant future where androids appear more human. (Scarlett Johannson "embodies" the A.I. she plays since many viewers will recognize her voice even though they never see her.). The film Her does, however, take the same route as The Lawnmower Man (1992) in suggesting that A.I. might somehow . . . transcend and become god-like. That seems a bit fantastical to me, as do the androids in Westworld and Battlestar that are virtually indistinguishable from humans. When I express concern about horny isolated guys settling for robots, I'm not imaging robots so realistic that we could actually mistake them for humans. I am, however, imagining quite a few steps above the blow-up dolls some folk get off on/in, as in Lars and the Real Girl (2007). Unfortunately, I don't think a lack of high mimesis will matter for some, because the safety of a machine will far outweigh the risk of shame and relational failure.
The evidence you provided early in the video does not suffice for proving the simulacra of romanticism. Lionel does not kiss the statue of Psyche to imitate that of his wife, he knows she is long gone. The imitation of real-life romantic partners I would argue only comes with our current rise in AI. Look to earlier representations of AI such as C-3PO or HAL 9000, they are clearly not human. But as you point out, artists today portray AI and other human imitations as extremely "attractive" and worthy of being in a relationship with, a true imitation.
I'm not convinced that AI is automatically a simulacrum of intimacy. Your premise indicates that AI cannot overcome what we have programmed it to do. Facebook already implements artificial intelligence, and to nobody’s surprise, its management team can't explain why the program makes certain decisions. Spike Jonze's film, Her (2013) shows how the construction of one's own private fantasy might become overridden in the face of true AI. 1st Corinthians 13 doesn’t account for the dual struggle that develops on part of the machine when given the advent of infinite knowledge and bandwidth of experience when coupled against its humanity.
I worry about the consequences of introducing realistic humanoid robots into our already problematic sexual culture. Advertising fantasy and immediate sexual gratification without the necessity of consent, respect, and love may lead to an endorsement of the unnatural power dynamic between robots and their owners. In the most severe cases, some will use sex robots as outlets for indulging their violent sexual fantasies, which may lead to an increase in sexual violence between humans. Furthermore, it is highly improbable that individuals will cure their loneliness through these erotic relationships, as they lack the authentic intimacy necessary for emotional fulfillment.