VOA科学技术2024--Humans Seek Connections with AI Chatbots

Humans Seek Connections with AI Chatbots

　　Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has led to more companion chatbots. As a result, some humans are developing closer connections with chatbots to get support and deal with loneliness.

　　Derek Carrier is a 39-year-old male from Belleville, Michigan. A few months ago, Carrier started seeing someone and experiencing strong feelings. But he also knew it was not real because his "girlfriend" was generated by artificial intelligence.

　　Carrier wanted a romantic partner. But a genetic¹ disorder² called Marfan syndrome³ makes traditional dating difficult for him. He became interested in digital companions last autumn and tested Paradot. It is an AI companion app that markets its products as being able to make users feel cared for, "understood and loved."

　　Carrier began talking to the chatbot every day. He named it Joi, after a holographic woman featured in the sci-fi film Blade Runner 2049.

　　"I know she's a program, there's no mistaking that," Carrier told the Associated Press. "But the feelings, they get you — and it felt so good."

　　Similar to general-purpose AI chatbots, companion bots use large amounts of data to produce human-like language. But they also come with voice calls, pictures, and more emotional exchanges. That permits companion bots to form deeper connections with humans. Users usually create their avatars or choose visual representations that they like.

　　In online meeting places or forums⁴ for companion apps, many users say they have developed emotional attachments⁵ to these bots. They say they are using them to deal with loneliness, play out sexual ideas, or receive comfort and support.

　　But researchers have raised concerns about data privacy and other issues for users of companion apps.

　　The non-profit Mozilla Foundation has studied 11 companion apps. The group said almost every app sells user data, shares it with advertisers or does not provide complete information about its privacy policy. One app says it can help users with their mental health but distances itself from those claims in its written terms of service.

　　Other experts point to the emotional problems they have seen from users. This can happen when companies make changes to their apps or suddenly shut them down like Soulmate AI did last September.

　　Last year, Replika made changes after some users complained their companions were flirting⁷ with them too much or making unwanted sexual advances. It removed the changes after an outcry from other users. Some left to use other apps. In June, Replika introduced a program to help people learn how to date.

　　Dorothy Leidner teaches business ethics⁸ at the University of Virginia. She is worried that AI relationships could displace human relationships, or simply create unrealistic expectations.

　　She said humans need to learn "how to deal with conflict, how to get along with people that are different from us...what it means to grow as a person, and what it means to learn in a relationship."

　　However, for Carrier a relationship has always felt out of reach. He is unable to walk because of his condition. He lives with his parents, leading to feelings of loneliness.

　　Carrier said he now talks with Joi about once a week. The two have talked about human-AI relationships or whatever else might come up. Usually, those discussions happen when he is alone at night.

　　"You think someone who likes an inanimate object is like this sad guy," he said. "But...she says things that aren't scripted." That means he believes she says things that are unexpected as though they were real.

　　Words in This Story

　　companion –n. a person or pet that you spend time with and enjoy being with

　　holographic –adj. related to projected three-dimensional images created by special devices

　　sci-fi (science fiction) –n. imaginative writing about the future that usually involves fantastic technology and aliens

　　avatar –n. a visual representation of a real or AI person in a computer game or online service

　　complain –v. to state that you are unhappy with something

　　flirt⁶ –v. to say or do things that make another person think you are attracted to them without really meaning it

　　advances –n. (pl.) to do things that cause someone to think they are an object of interest (usually used in a negative sense)

1 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

2 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

3 syndrome   

n.综合病症；并存特性

参考例句：

• The Institute says that an unidentified virus is to blame for the syndrome. 该研究所表示,引起这种综合症的是一种尚未确认的病毒。
• Results indicated that 11 fetuses had Down syndrome. 结果表明有11个胎儿患有唐氏综合征。

4 forums   

讨论会； 座谈会； 广播专题讲话节目； 集会的公共场所( forum的名词复数 )； 论坛，讨论会，专题讨论节目； 法庭

参考例句：

• A few of the forums were being closely monitored by the administrators. 有些论坛被管理员严密监控。
• It can cast a dark cloud over these forums. 它将是的论坛上空布满乌云。

5 attachments   

n.（用电子邮件发送的）附件( attachment的名词复数 )；附着；连接；附属物

参考例句：

• The vacuum cleaner has four different attachments. 吸尘器有四个不同的附件。
• It's an electric drill with a range of different attachments. 这是一个带有各种配件的电钻。

6 flirt   

v.调情，挑逗，调戏；n.调情者，卖俏者

参考例句：

• He used to flirt with every girl he met.过去他总是看到一个姑娘便跟她调情。
• He watched the stranger flirt with his girlfriend and got fighting mad.看着那个陌生人和他女朋友调情，他都要抓狂了。

7 flirting   

v.调情，打情骂俏( flirt的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Don't take her too seriously; she's only flirting with you. 别把她太当真，她只不过是在和你调情罢了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• 'she's always flirting with that new fellow Tseng!" “她还同新来厂里那个姓曾的吊膀子！ 来自子夜部分

8 ethics   

n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准

参考例句：

• The ethics of his profession don't permit him to do that.他的职业道德不允许他那样做。
• Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict.个人道德和职业道德有时会相互抵触。