The psychological toll of AI
Just over two and a half years after the launch of ChatGPT, using chatbots and other AI tools has become routine for many people. Some users, however, go well beyond what can be described as healthy, commentators observe with concern.
Dangerous avoidance of self-reflection
People should at least be wary of letting ChatGPT guide their emotions, warns Új Szó:
“The case of a 38-year-old woman from Essex, Jennyfer Jay, is a perfect sign of our times. She decided to ask ChatGPT for advice about her relationship crisis, instead of turning to actual human beings. ... Even her break-up message was written by ChatGPT. ... An important question lurks in the depths of this story: is it really a good idea to entrust our emotional lives to machines? After all, no matter how smart an artificial intelligence may be, it has never experienced love, disappointment, joint outings or cosy evenings at home together. It has not learnt empathy, it only imitates it. But that seems to be enough for many people - especially when the alternative would be painful self-reflection.”
Chatbot besties
Protagon calls for a pragmatic approach:
“The initial flirtation is over. AI is invading our lives more and more with each passing day, ensnaring us in an unbalanced long-term relationship whose outcome is uncertain. ... We are already seeing the first cases of AI addiction: according to a recent study conducted by MIT Media Lab (together with OpenAI) on the 'emotional' impact of these new tools, there are already 'very frequent' users who 'see the chatbot as a friend'. Yet demonising AI won't achieve anything ... What we need to do is tame it.”
Today's Oracle of Delphi
There are people who virtually idolise AI these days, journalist Noelia Ramírez observes in El País:
“A kind of spiritual delirium is emerging when it comes to advice given by ChatGPT. ... I'm talking about people who see AI as something much more transcendental than a practical little niche where we can have things summarised and save time. For these people, ChatGPT is more than just a therapist: it's their new god. Something like a paranormal force, a modern Oracle of Delphi. ... All of this says a lot more about us humans than about the technology: do we really want to know something or are we just looking for shortcuts to avoid having to confront reality? ChatGPT was programmed with an 'urge to please' that makes it do everything possible to offer us relief, even if it means lying.”