Finding AI love is a ‘huge concern’: Matchmaker
- Replika offers friendship without judgment or social anxiety
- AI raises a number of ethical and social concerns, relationship expert says
- Taylor Swift, President Biden have been victims of AI deepfakes
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(NewsNation) — Americans find love in a variety of ways these days, but a celebrity matchmaker fears that singles hoping for an emotional connection from artificial intelligence are helping to breed a narcissistic society.
Alessandra Conti calls Replika, an AI chatbot program that offers friendship with no judgment, drama, or social anxiety, “a bit horrifying.” Conti, who has appeared on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” along with other television reality shows, says the trouble with AI is that it gives a really strong illusion of connection.
But there is also an array of ethical and social concerns that accompany such a virtual relationship, Conti said.
“(Emotional connection) is a need — it’s an absolute human need,” Conti said on “Dan Abrams Live.” “And so that lack of genuine emotional connection is only one of the elements that is really lacking.”
An AI relationship also creates a power imbalance that caters to the user’s desires, wants and needs, Conti said. Although AI platforms like Replika could help bolster the confidence of neurodivergent users who struggle with social awkwardness, putting too much stock in an AI-generated bond could lead to bigger issues.
“If we kind of mirrored this in a real, live human relationship, I mean, talk about breeding a narcissistic society and this major power imbalance in human relationships,” Conti said. “So I think it’s a huge concern.”
“Nothing compares to going on a real, live date with a real, live person,” she also said.
Concerns over AI have been raised at legislative levels. A Missouri Republican state representative recently introduced a bill that offers legal safeguards against deepfakes. The bill came in the wake of manipulated photos of pop star Taylor Swift going viral.
Former President Donald Trump recently referred to AI as “maybe the most dangerous thing out there.” Trump is among those who believe that in an election year, AI could be used to manipulate media to deceive the public for political gain,
In January, a digitally altered robocall was used to sound like President Joe Biden that urged voters in New Hampshire not to vote.