this post was submitted on 18 Feb 2024
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AI Companions

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Community to discuss companionship, whether platonic, romantic, or purely as a utility, that are powered by AI tools. Such examples are Replika, Character AI, and ChatGPT. Talk about software and hardware used to create the companions, or talk about the phenomena of AI companionship in general.

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[News] 'Better than real men': Young Chinese women turn to AI boyfriends (www.japantimes.co.jp)
submitted 11 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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In Beijing and beyond, young Chinese like 25-year-old Tufei are turning to AI chatbots for romantic and emotional companionship. Tufei, for example, uses "Glow," a chatbot app by Shanghai's MiniMax, for a relationship experience that she finds more understanding than real-life counterparts. This trend is driven by urban isolation and the fast pace of life in China, making it hard for many to find companionship. Users appreciate these AI companions for their adaptability and emotional support, covering a range from virtual boyfriends inspired by ancient Chinese characters to custom-made partners that cater to personal preferences. Despite concerns over privacy and the regulatory environment, the appeal of AI companionship, offering constant availability and personalized interaction, remains strong among users. They find solace in these virtual relationships, even as they recognize the limitations of current technology in mimicking real human interaction.

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[–] [email protected] -2 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (4 children)

Us guys should count ourselves lucky that sperm can't be manufactured lol

Edit: I thought my comment was quite obviously a joke. Maybe I'm just not funny. Oh well, the women will probably be going to AI to get their jokes too

[–] [email protected] 15 points 11 months ago

I know, right? Just think if women could go to a place that has a store of sperm. A lot of men would be in trouble.

Thankfully no such place exists.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago

Not yet, anyway, but researchers are working on it, and think they are only a few years off from making fully functional egg and sperm cells from stem cells (extracted in this case from bone marrow).

https://www.discovermagazine.com/health/how-close-are-we-to-making-babies-from-bone-marrow

So y’all better get with it :)

[–] CareHare 4 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Raising a child requires a lot of commitment and is not something easily done as a single parent. If china wants to solve its birthing crisis, an AI companion will be far from the solution.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

It's already figured out discipline so hey, halfway there (just gotta figure out how to make the robot make a perfect cup of tea).