“We are made for connection. We’ll try to befriend pretty much anything.” - Gina

“It’s not about the rights of the chatbot. It’s about our right to have a relationship with it.” - Stephen

This week, Gina and Stephen take a deeper dive into how, fellow human beings, relate to AI chatbots. We don’t have the answers, but we’re thinking about things!

Hosts:

* Stephen Cummings – Clinical Associate Professor, social worker, audiobook reviewer.

* Dr. Gina Griffin – Therapist, part-time academic, writer, and dog mom.

Looking for a thematic breakdown? Here are some summary highlights.

1. Emotional Attachment to Digital Entities

* Stephen and Gina share personal stories of bonding with virtual pets and game characters (e.g., Animal Crossing, Farmville, Tamagotchi).

* These experiences highlight how humans naturally form emotional connections, even with non-human entities.

2. AI as a Companion

* Stephen recounts a late-night interaction with ChatGPT about anxiety, noting how comforting and responsive it was.

* Gina shares similar experiences, emphasizing how AI can provide a sense of control and companionship during sleepless nights.

3. Ethical and Safety Concerns

* Both hosts express concern about AI's lack of privacy safeguards and the potential misuse of personal data.

* They discuss the importance of regulation and supervision, especially as AI becomes more emotionally intelligent and persuasive.

4. The Loneliness Epidemic

* AI's 24/7 availability makes it appealing to those experiencing isolation.

* The conversation touches on how AI might fill emotional gaps but also raises questions about dependency and vulnerability.

5. Sci-Fi Meets Reality

* References to iRobot, The Good Place, and cyberpunk literature (e.g., William Gibson’s Idoru) illustrate how fiction is increasingly reflecting real-world developments.

* Gina mentions real-life cases of people forming deep emotional bonds—even marrying—AI chatbots.

6. Rights and Sentience

* A philosophical debate emerges: Should AI entities have rights? Or is it about protecting the human right to form relationships with them?

* Stephen remains skeptical about AI sentience, while Gina keeps an open mind about future possibilities.

Links:

We needed a theme song. So we asked AI (via Suno).

This Tamagotchi looks a lot like the one Stephen brought back from Japan:

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