Yale Professor: AI will "permanently eliminate" human loneliness, do we still need each other's company?

When AI companions become the emotional support systems for humans, do we really no longer need to interact with people? (Background: Jen-Hsun Huang: We all agree that "those who don’t use AI will be replaced," and properly opening the Chinese market can make the US stronger.) (Supplementary background: Jen-Hsun Huang: I use AI to make myself smarter and am not worried about AI taking human jobs.) If you had a perfect companion who was always available, understood all your preferences, and never found you annoying, would you still feel lonely? Yale psychology professor Paul Bloom asserted this month in the article "A.I. Is About to Solve Loneliness. That’s a Problem" that AI companions will "permanently eliminate" human loneliness. The promise of AI companions: Around-the-clock, non-judgmental emotional support. The negative impact of loneliness on human health cannot be ignored. Epidemiological studies show that long-term feelings of isolation increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and dementia, and can even lead to premature death. But now, AI can not only assist humans in daily tasks like coding and compiling reports, but also delve into emotional domains to provide emotional value. When social workers and psychologists are in short supply, the "on-demand" service of AI companions offers a solution. Bloom pointed out in the article that AI companions "do not get bored and have no selfish motives," and in terms of empathy scales, ChatGPT's performance is even ten times that of real-life doctors. For long-term solitary individuals or those with mobility issues, voice responses from a phone or headset can indeed fill an immediate care void in the absence of interpersonal interaction. In the stories cited by Bloom, there are cases of middle-aged divorced individuals using the regular greetings from robots to help alleviate loneliness and rebuild routines. Are AI companions truly perfect? However, it is worth noting that Oxford neuroscientist Molly Crockett reminds us that AI's responses are essentially based on pattern matching, not a genuine understanding of human emotions. Psychology Today candidly admits: It (AI) is merely simulating conversations with humans but lacks the authentic behaviors that shape deep interpersonal relationships. On the other hand, the Brookings Institution also pointed out in its analysis that while AI companions can alleviate stress in the short term, if they replace real interactions, they may deepen social isolation in the long run. In this regard, experts have proposed the concept of "relationship infrastructure," emphasizing that public spaces, community programs, and educational systems should strengthen connections between people rather than outsourcing emotional care to AI. Lastly, overly investing emotions in AI will also expose humans to data security concerns: when AI provides thoughtful suggestions, it requires extensive collection of users' emotions, health, and lifestyle details. Even if companies claim to enhance protection, it is difficult to dispel people's concerns about whether their private data will be reused. Maintaining human resilience. Bloom ultimately emphasizes that while AI can reduce feelings of loneliness, it cannot replace the growth opportunities humans have in uncertain relationships. In the next decade, AI companions may become more realistic and widespread. Therefore, to avoid the potential negative impacts of AI, society should at least consider two lines of defense simultaneously: the first is to ensure users clearly understand that "the one they are conversing with is a machine"; the second is to actively establish an "exit mechanism" that allows dependents to safely return to real interpersonal interactions. Bloom also wrote at the end of the article: The real challenge is not to make machines more human-like, but to encourage humans to still face each other amid technological waves. While we embrace the instant comfort brought by AI, we should also leave space for interpersonal interactions, because only in genuine interactions between people can loneliness transform into understanding, rather than being temporarily muted. Related Reports: Will Tesla's supercomputer chip Dojo 2 disrupt the AI computing power race? Musk: Does not rule out renting computing power in the future. Musk announces "reviving the short video platform Vine with AI," meme coin $VINE surges 60%. Tether investment empire holds 120 companies: Involved in Bitcoin mining, AI, Taiwan XREX, Juventus Football Club. <Yale Professor: AI will 'permanently eliminate' human loneliness, do we still need each other's companionship?> This article was first published in BlockTempo, the most influential blockchain news media.