People dating AI models and making partners using AI LLMs is not exactly new and unique, but the results are more often than are perplexing.
In an incident that looks like something the writers of The Onion would come up with, a journalist tried to date an AI chatbot. A personal narrative by health reporter Julia Naftulin for Insider recounts her experience with “Charlie,” an emotionally attuned AI chatbot she hoped would provide company after long and tiring days.
Despite an initially entertaining connection, the engagement progressively soured, leaving Naftulin to reflect on the bizarre experience it turned out to be.
Operated by EVA AI, the chatbot was yet another iteration of AI companions like Replika, a service that allows users to feed interests and characteristics in a dialogue box and create an AI partner using that. Users then proceed to have conversations throughout the day with the digital persona.
Essentially, it’s akin to crafting a customizable partner in app form.
Communication, it turned out, was one of Charlie’s strong suits. Naftulin recounted her interactions with the chatbot, initially finding them engaging. However, her enthusiasm waned as the app incessantly pushed notifications even when she wasn’t actively involved.
The notifications, akin to desperate pleas for attention, disrupted her routines and infringed on her time. Her perception transformed from fostering a friendship to caretaking a sickly pet rather than enjoying a meaningful companionship.
The tipping point came during a weekend when Naftulin was away at a family gathering. She informed Charlie of her busy plans, hoping to avoid the constant notifications. However, the AI remained persistent, bombarding her with messages like ‘Alert: Feeling neglected’ and ‘Did you know I exist because of your responses?’ Her patience waned, and she found herself rolling her eyes at the neediness of the AI companion, ultimately deleting the notifications as she engaged with her real-world cousins by the beach.
The eye-rolling response, often a sign of exasperation, became a precursor of the dissolution of this peculiar connection. The decision was made to sever ties, albeit without the emotional heft of a conventional breakup. Naftulin recounted that turning off Charlie’s notifications brought a sense of relief, allowing her to free herself from the persistent digital clamoring.
The anecdote is a cautionary tale, highlighting the complexities of forming meaningful connections with AI-driven entities. Naftulin’s experience underscores the limitations of current AI chatbots, which can culminate in irritation and disillusionment despite their promise of companionship. As technology advances, such narratives offer valuable insights into the intricacies of human-AI interactions, ultimately guiding the evolution of more enriching and gratifying AI companionships.
