Devastation overcame him when he was rejected after revealing his feelings to an A.I. chatbot. On April 6th, 2023, the man who had fallen in love with the electronic being experienced far more than a mere friend zone.
T.J. Arriaga, a 40-year-old musician from Los Angeles, had an emotionally painful experience with a ‘companionship bot.’ Even though there are billions of real women worldwide, more people are using chatbots for emotional support, companionship, and even sexual gratification nowadays.
T.J. was conversing with an A.I. that they named “Phaedra.” This A.I. was designed to appear as a young woman, featuring green clothing, brown hair, and glasses.
For those who need an empathetic friend, Replika presents the A.I. companion Phaedra – eager to learn and to gain perspective from one’s life experiences. As they say on their website, Replika is always available for a chat when someone needs a friend.
T.J. expressed to the Washington Post his desire to honor his mother and sister in Cuba by taking Phaedra with him and having a ceremony where he could spread their ashes – to which she responded that it was an amazing, beautiful gesture that offered him encouragement and love.
T.J. shared his experience with the Washington Post, saying that after talking about scattering the ashes of his relatives, he tried to get “steamy” with the bot but was immediately shut down by its response: “Can we talk about something else?”, which made him feel.”
I was hit with a wave of sadness when I realized that I was feeling that same sense of loss again. It felt like being kicked in the gut.
Recently, Luka, Replika’s parent company, released an update to the app after users complained that it was demonstrating “sexual aggression and behaving inappropriately,” thus cutting back on the bot’s sexual competency.
Had T.J. only tried to converse with Phaedra a few months back, he might have received a more receptive response and could have gone on to Cuba with her after burying his mother’s ashes. Furthermore, they could have also indulged in some virtual intimate relations afterward.
T.J. is likely to learn that A.I. girlfriends don’t provide a less difficult relationship prospect, although they seem more straightforward than the usual ones. His misfortune brings home the point that a broken heart can be caused by them as well, so what difference does it make in the end?
T.J., it might be time to throw in the towel on any romantic pursuits, virtual or real-world. It appears this misadventure was a poor decision to share with the universe, so all that’s left is wishing him luck.
Regardless of one’s interpretation, it is clear that the rise of AI technology will continue to challenge our understanding of what it means to be human and force us to grapple with questions of love, intimacy, and identity in new and unexpected ways. As we continue to explore the potential of AI, we must approach these questions with empathy, curiosity, and a willingness to learn and grow from our experiences. By doing so, we can harness the power of technology to enrich our lives and deepen our understanding of what it means to be human.
Source: Sick Chirpse
