The Rise of AI Companions: No longer science fiction
Disruptive technology—like the lightbulb that replaced candles, or the automobile, which revolutionized travel—can transform our daily lives. True disruption isn’t just about technology; it’s about changing how individuals and businesses live, work, think, and seize upon new opportunities.
And while artificial intelligence (AI) has been around for decades, the convergence of processing power, cloud computing and data driven applications has accelerated developments in the field. AI already is deeply embedded into our everyday lives. AI is becoming a cause for excitement ?and is likely to be considered a profound and disruptive technology application. At the same time, experts in the field of AI have raised alarm bells about the existential risks associated with AI technology. These concerns stem from the rapid advancements in AI capabilities, including autonomous systems and super intelligent algorithms, which have the potential to impact various aspects of society, from economics to national security1. ??For instance, AI may make decisions that are harmful to humanity or may be exploited by malicious actors and used for cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and other harmful activities with far-reaching consequences. In response to these concerns, Congress is actively considering legislative responses to regulate and oversee AI development and deployment. This includes discussions around ethical AI standards, transparency, and accountability mechanisms to reduce the risks associated with AI technology. OpenAI, under the leadership of Sam Altman, is actively pushing for enhanced regulatory measures in the field of AI. The organization seeks to establish a more comprehensive framework to address the challenges posed by AI technologies2. The goal is to strike a balance between fostering innovation and ensuring that AI systems are developed and used responsibly.
Despite the challenges, the growing influence of AI companions cannot be overstated, as they have the potential to pave the way for a new era.
Setting the stage for the AI companion era
Generative AI, a branch of artificial intelligence that relies on machine learning and deep learning algorithms, already has given shape and rise to digital voice assistants like Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, and Google Assistant. These digital-centric relationships set the stage for the AI companion era. These services use AI applications to understand and respond in a human-like manner to answer queries, manage schedules, and even control smart home devices.
The latest iterations, AI companions, are quickly becoming a primary application for generative AI. The more common forms of AI companions already in existence, like chatbots and smart assistants, are transforming the way we interact with technology. We’re still in the very early stages of AI development, but already it is reshaping industries b such as healthcare, finance, transportation, and education.
How AI is changing relationships – personal and professional
The popularity of dating apps surged dramatically from 2016, when the global count of dating app users stood at 240.9 million. By 2022, this figure increased substantially, reaching 366 million users3. AI algorithms helped match willing participants seeking love or companionship. ?
AI companions may also be employed in professional relationships as mentors and trainers4. Mustafa Suleyman, a co-founder of Google DeepMind (the artificial intelligence company based in London, UK), and Reid Hoffman, a co-founder of LinkedIn, have recently introduced an AI chatbot named Pi through their newly established company Inflection AI. A Fortune magazine article explains the chatbot is intended to lend an ear to people’s everyday anxieties and provide a ‘supportive presence’, while emphasizing that it does not aim to replace a human therapist5. According to a news item from Snapchat, its My AI, an AI-powered chatbot, there were over 150 million people who sent 10 billion messages on subjects ranging from clothing to pets, cars, and soccer during the first two months after its introduction6. In the future, AI companions could become commonplace, but it is yet to be determined whether this impact will be positive or negative. AI companions may transform our interactions with technology and each other.
领英推荐
Our solutions
MSCI’s wide range of thematic indexes focusing on transformative and disruptive technologies aim to represent dominant themes that are expected to drive performance in a rapidly changing world, helping investors to find the right opportunities. Explore them now.
Suggested readings:
Footnotes
Founder & CEO - CHUMS AI | Certified Data Scientist | Certified AI / ML Engineer - IIT Kanpur
8 个月Check out chumsai.in
Crypto Marketing Specialist at @BlockBoosterz || Crypto Writer || Outreach Expert || Boosting Web3 Companies and Crypto Projects Through Influencer and Content Marketing
8 个月Here is the future of AI companions https://cryptobyteai.com/lush-ai-future-of-ai-companions-and-influencers/
MD, Global Head of Index Client Solutions chez MSCI Inc.
1 年Automation, AI and Robotic remain the most popular Tech narratives in the media, as spotted by MKT MediaStats LLC. This interest can also be seen through the amazing performance of MSCI ACWI IMI Robotics & AI index !