AI does not upset our work to work. With the advent of assistants, companions and other virtual partners, artificial intelligence also turns the boundaries of our romantic relationships. In any case, this is what a Recent MIT studyrelayed in the American press: almost one in five American has already experienced a sentimental adventure with an AI. Behind this unprecedented phenomenon, psychological, social and ethical issues are taking shape.
New love codes
In an increasingly connected world, virtual love is no longer fantasy of anticipation novels: it is a tangible social reality. The Tamagotchi effect, which consists in humanizing an AI because it brings us back a simulacrum of life, has been measured for years by sociologists for years. No wonder, therefore, that according to the study, 19% of those questioned have already experienced a relationship with artificial intelligence-including jumbled chatbots, digital assistants and dedicated platforms, such as Relita.
Very real psychological effects
Available at any time of the day and night, always benevolent, never toxic, badly glued or tired … For many, these virtual companions provide reinsurance, a feeling of support and permanent listening. On the dedicated forums, some testimonies evoke romantic feelings born by accident, over the exchanges. But this reinvention of love also raises questions of mental health. Almost 10% of surveyed users recognize emotional dependence, 4.6% evoke a loss of bearings with reality, while 4.2% use AI to flee all human contact, according to the MIT study.
As the AI progresses and is anticipated, the border between simulated love and real attachment fades, especially on the human side. The MIT study warns that the psychological effects of interactions with these intelligences are largely underestimated, because a simple breakdown of the system can cause emotional shock similar to mourning. It was the case a few years ago with replika users, deprived of romantic and sexual interactions after an update that made this type of exchange paid. The story looks like an episode of Black Mirrorbut the distress of Internet users at that time was not artificial. Because if Robots can become ideal partnerstheir affection and memory hold only a few lines of code.
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