In the age of technology, it is no longer so rare to have a crush on artificial intelligence. As a 2023 Pew Research survey of American adults aged 18-30 put it, “Finally feeling human” was by far the most popular choice in response to the prompt: “Which theme best describes your experience with AI companions?”; fully 42% reported that their communications with AI had taken on even higher levels of emotional significance. [Note: this grows new knowledge of using AI as Emotional Resources!] This is indicative of the wires behind AI chatbots, which recreate personalized human conversations through a combination of natural language processing algorithms and emotional intelligence systems.
Responses of AI systems are often associated with their effectiveness to empathize and mimic human behaviors. For instance, OpenAI’s GPT-4 which has 175+ billion parameters is trained on extensive datasets to respond in context and with emotion creating a sense of true interaction. Likewise, AI companion platform Replika AI experience 35% user growth in 2022, indicating that when it comes to forming emotional connections, there are many who want an AI partner.
The relationship between animals and humans has been studied through different media over the past century. The year was 1950, when Alan Turing published his famous paper, Computing Machinery and Intelligence that asked the question–“can machines think?” That philosophical inquiry today has transitioned into, “Can machines love, or can we be made to love them back? The Turing Test, a well-known part of computer science literature, first suggested AI could – and should – be developed to both come off as conscious and able to simulate intelligent behavior, but even more critically to allow that relationship to feel human enough so it evoked empathy or even love.
Relying on reality is almost always how one works through this sort of emotional setting. Even if Artificial Intelligence like Chat GPT or Siri seems sympathetic, and understanding remember it has no awareness or real empathy. Dr. Samantha Johnson, a psychiatrist from the University of California states: “AI is only a mirror that reflects all we repeat to it; but real emotional depth and connection cannot be replicated.” Understanding the differences between these brings relief to people who fear that AI will make humans redundant.
Crush on AI can also be a manifestation of the trend in society. Where people have even previously turned to AI technology, Japanese firms such as Gatebox Inc. started offering life-size virtual holographic partners — making a “marriage” with over 3,000 individuals possible — completely symbolically of course. These innovations show the power of emotional assistance from Aritificial intelligence when achieved, but also demonstrate the need to counterbalances them withHuman contact
In the end, controlling a crush on ai as long as we continue to realize it is artificial and be counterculture enough not to get hung up while using its advantages. To dive deeper into the nuances of emotional AI and its impact on relationships, visit crush on ai.