Are We Outsourcing Intimacy? Reflections on AI Companions and the Cost of Connection

[urszula]

Over the weekend, I watched a 60 Minutes Australia segment about the rise of AI companions, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it.

Why people are falling in love with A.I. companions | 60 Minutes Australia

What struck me most is how far we’ve drifted from authentic connection. People are turning to machines for love, support, and validation & not because they believe the AI is real, but because it feels real enough. And often, more comforting than messy human relationships. At first glance, it may seem strange to have a “relationship” with something that doesn’t actually exist. But then, when YOU REALLY think about it: haven’t we been heading in this direction for years?

I just commented about this to @kirkmahoneyphd about this on an different thread.

https://forum.mudita.com/t/impact-of-ai-how-do-you-use-the-new-gen-of-ai/5889/45

Think about it. How much of our communication today is already faceless? Social media, messaging apps…even Forum Threads. So much of our connection now happens through screens, with little to no physical presence. I think perhaps we’re being slowly conditioned to accept intimacy without embodiment, conversation without context, companionship without complexity.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this because for me, this is really uncomfortable.
How do we protect human connection in an age of synthetic relationships?

[kirkmahoneyphd]

@urszula

How much of our communication today is already faceless? Social media, messaging apps…even Forum Threads. So much of our connection now happens through screens, with little to no physical presence.

In contrast, I increasingly notice iPhone owners using FaceTime on calls. Video calls are not faceless, but I see them as less intimate than audio calls.

I have never owned an iPhone, but I have been on a couple of carrier-enabled video calls on a Google Android cellphone. I will not miss the lack of this feature on my new Kompakt.

Again, I find audio calls to be quite intimate. For proof, look at the safety statistics for drivers on audio calls vs. drivers talking to passengers in the front seats of their cars. Drivers on audio calls are much more distracted, safety-wise. I believe that this is because audio calls are more engaging intimacy-wise.

[urszula]

@kirkmahoneyphd

I have never owned an iPhone

I’ve also NEVER had an iPhone. In fact, the last time I interacted with any APPLE products, the screen looked like this:

I do enjoy video calls via WhatsApp - it’s a decent option when people are Far, far away- like my family.