Mark Zuckerberg reveals his dystopian vision for the future.
As more people are becoming dependent on AI for creative help or personal advice - some even bordering on addiction - others are turning to chatbots for more romantic relationships.
However, the Meta CEO isn't envisioning a future with fewer screens and instead thinks the answer to loneliness is more AI-powered companions. Speaking to tech podcaster Dwarkesh Patel, the Facebook co-founder suggested that people might be better off seeking friendships, therapists and even lovers that are powered by AI, rather than real life.
The 40-year-old referenced a 2021 study that found that the average American has fewer than three friends. But instead of encouraging people to step outside and be more social, Zuckerberg claims the solution lies in AI chatbots, as they are better at understanding people’s likes and preferences than real-life human connections.
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"I think people are going to want a system that knows them well and that kind of understands them in the way that their feed algorithms do," Zuckerberg said. "For people who don't have a person who's a therapist, I think everyone will have an AI."
He went on to say that the average person desires about 15 friends, anything beyond that becomes overwhelming. However, his controversial future-telling wasn't received positively by the majority, especially from other tech industry execs on social media.
Former Instagram executive Meghana Dhar slammed the idea, arguing that AI is the very reason why people feel isolated and disconnected in the first place. "The very platforms that have led to our social isolation and being chronically online are now posing a solution to the loneliness epidemic," Dhar explained. "It almost seems like the arsonist coming back and being the fireman."
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Her theory is backed by science too as one study by the American Psychiatric Association found that one in three Americans experience loneliness every week, with several studies linking those feelings to spending more time online. Similarly, another study found that employees who frequently interact with artificial intelligence systems are more likely to experience loneliness.
With clips of the interview being shared across social media, naturally, people have been expressing their views.
"This quote from Mark Zuckerberg is sad and frightening. Don't replace friends with AI. Dystopian garbage," wrote one person on X.
"I’ll take 1/2 of a real friend, over 50 fake ones," another wrote.
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"Whatever this guy sells, I immediately don’t want," another argued.