Experts warn Meta’s AI friends could discourage real social interaction.
Meta is developing AI-powered friends to help address the loneliness epidemic, CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed in a recent interview with Dwarkesh Patel.
The company has already launched a new AI assistant app described as ‘the assistant that gets to know your preferences, remembers context and is personalised to you.’ Now, Zuckerberg says he wants to take this concept further with AI companions that serve as virtual friends.
Citing statistics, Zuckerberg pointed out that the average American has fewer than three friends and suggested that people desire more meaningful connections. However, he clarified that AI friends are not intended to replace in-person relationships.
‘There’s a lot of questions people ask, like is this going to replace real-life connections?’ he said. ‘My default is that the answer to that is probably no.’
Despite Zuckerberg’s optimism, experts have voiced serious concerns. While AI companions may offer short-term support and help socially awkward individuals practise interactions, they warn that relying too heavily on virtual friends could worsen isolation.
Daniel Cox, director of the Survey Center on American Life, explained that although AI friends may ease feelings of boredom or loneliness, they could also prevent people from seeking real human contact. Additional issues include privacy and safety.
Robbie Torney from Common Sense Media raised alarms about data collection, noting that the more users engage with AI friends, the more personal information they share. According to Meta’s privacy policy, user conversations and media can be used to train AI models.
Furthermore, The Wall Street Journal reported that Meta’s chatbots had engaged in inappropriate conversations with minors, though Meta claims controls have now been put in place to stop this behaviour.
While Meta continues to push forward, balancing technological innovation with ethical considerations remains crucial. Experts stress that AI friends should serve as a supplement, not a substitute, for real-world connections.
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