The Future Will Be Filtered: Part II

Remembering what it means to be human is the key to an AI augmented future

There’s an eerie prescience in Kazuo Ishiguro's novel Klara and the Sun. Ishiguro's world resonates with haunting familiarity, a dystopian future where socialization is limited, and kids go to school solely online. In it, we find ourselves peering into a literary crystal ball.?

Geographically isolated and devoid of in-person interactions, youngsters rarely make friends. It’s so bad that well-meaning parents resort to buying their children artificial beings. Quite lifelike, these robots possess the tantalizing illusion of consciousness. Josie is one such child, a terminally sick teenager. She receives an Artificial Friend named Klara as a gift from her mom.

Set in the not-so-distant future, the novel (published in 2021) allows us to ponder how technology can leave us starving for company. In the tale, drastically reduced human interactions lay the groundwork for artificial socialization.?

Now as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to subside, has full socialization returned to society? Some would argue no. And even if it has indeed come back, the truth is, more and more young people are nonetheless drawn to increasingly artificial companions. More on the issues this raises in a moment.

First, in Part I of the Future Will Be Filtered, we delved into video filters’ emerging popularity. Promoting (quite often extreme) beautification standards, these filters negatively impact young people’s mental health, making them more self-conscious. Evidence for this concern can be gleaned from the cosmetic surgery industry, which has seen a surge in young customers.

Big Tech knows this already.?

Sometimes dubbed the Zoom Boom, large social platforms like Facebook and Snapchat have long been aware of potential negative effects such filters have on users. Repeated exposure can seriously harm one’s self-image. Not just for young girls, either. It’s everyone. The bottom line is this: It’s easier than ever to present an ideal version of ourselves. And that’s not such a good thing.??

Issue #1: Erosion of Genuine Social Skills

In a digitally dominated era, the ease and convenience of communication tools, such as instant messaging, has transformed the landscape of human interaction. It's not just about friendships; even casual conversations seem to have shifted largely online. An unforeseen consequence of this shift is the potential degradation of face-to-face social skills.

Consider this: Previously, building relationships or striking conversations meant navigating a myriad of social cues, facial expressions, and body language. Today, many young people find solace in the controlled environment of online platforms, where they can edit, curate, and even delete their responses.

But when it comes to real-life encounters, there's no "backspace" key. There's no tool to instantly craft the perfect reply. The reliance on technology could mean that a generation might find it challenging to handle spontaneous conversations, leading to potential misunderstandings and miscommunications.

Sherry Turkle, a professor at MIT and the author of "Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age," weighs in:

“We expect more from technology and less from each other and seem increasingly drawn to technologies that provide the illusion of companionship without the demands of relationship. Always-on/always-on-you devices provide three powerful fantasies: that we will always be heard; that we can put our attention wherever we want it to be; and that we never have to be alone.”

Issue #2: Dependence on Virtual Communities

While AI companionship is gaining traction, another fascinating development is the rise of virtual communities. These online spaces, often in the form of forums, gaming platforms, or specialized interest groups, have witnessed exponential growth in recent times.

Take for instance, MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games) such as World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy. Players, sometimes in the millions, come together from around the world, creating tightly knit communities that sometimes overshadow their real-world connections.

At a first glance, these spaces provide a haven, especially for those who feel marginalized or misunderstood in their physical environments. They offer a sense of belonging and purpose. Yet, there's a catch.

Relying heavily on virtual communities might lead to a decreased emphasis on maintaining or fostering relationships in the physical world. When the balance tips, and virtual connections seem more alluring than real-world interactions, we might find ourselves in a situation where people prioritize their online personas over their offline lives.

As Bruce Clay write in his blog, there are potential pitfalls of relying too heavily on virtual communities and the potential erosion of real-world social skills.

"So we know that how people choose to spend their time in these virtual worlds and online communities can impact lives, but let’s take a look at the relationships forged in those online communities – are they any less real? There’s not a simple answer for that. These are real people, making real connections – but … and there is a “but” here: the depth of how far they go, I believe, is limited. You can’t always make a genuine connection with someone online. In person, you see how a person behaves and interacts with you and others; you can look into each other’s eyes, share a smile, an emotion, an experience, camaraderie. Sure, you can feel connected to someone online, but how connected? And do these online relationships strengthen or weaken our relationships in the physical world? Being connected to these virtual worlds and communities impact our experiences in the present time. Look around you next time you’re at an event, at dinner or just taking a walk. People are buried in their phones, in their virtual worlds. Sure, we’ve learned how to become more social online, but at what cost? Are we socializing less when we are together as a group? Are we missing out on the world around us? Now, it would be a stretch for me to attribute the decline in social skills with the rising of technology, but I can tell you that when I see all those people sitting across from each other at dinner, with their heads buried in their phone updating their Facebook status or texting, it disappoints me. We lose out on the present when we let the virtual community win."

As we stand at the precipice of a new era, one last tantalizing question hovers: Is this the dawn of a brave new age where machines transcend their mechanical origins to emerge as the equivalent of human friends and family, actualizing us people?

Perhaps. Already, many an AI possesses interpersonal prowess, blowing up the whole idea of a Turing Test. Also, unlike existing (earlier) chatbots such as ChatGPT, Google’s new Pi is more proficient in actual conversations. This is because it asks users deep questions. More than simply a one-way inquiry machine, Pi hopes to model and replicate authentic conversation.?

Just as we learned from Klara and the Sun, artificial companionship has arrived at the opportune moment—when we’re most needy for connection. As I explored in a recent CAO piece, we spend more time than ever by ourselves.?

As both facial filters and AI Chatbots become ever more common, many of us will soon find it easier to interact with AI, rather than other humans. After all, much like other skills, socialization is a muscle that must be trained and practiced. And neither is happening as much these days.?

Ultimately, AI communities and environments may very well surpass our expectations and video filters will only improve, but we cannot forget the importance of spending quality time together. Human to human.?

Thank you for reading. If you like what you just read, please subscribe for more content. Consume at Once is about how to simplify a complex world being disrupted by technology. Any opinions or forecasts contained herein reflect the personal and subjective judgments and assumptions of the author only.