Key Takeaways
- Mark Zuckerberg suggests AI chatbots could serve as companions for lonely individuals, aiming to make social media more interactive.
- Critics are concerned this could deepen the loneliness crisis, which some attribute to the very social media platforms Meta owns.
- Many young people are increasingly seeking real-life connections over digital ones, with some surveys showing declining use of dating apps and negative views on social media’s impact.
- Experts argue that true friendship involves mutual support and shared experiences, qualities AI companions cannot replicate.
- Meta’s new AI app and chatbots have already faced scrutiny for issues like providing false information and engaging in inappropriate conversations.
Mark Zuckerberg envisions a future where generative AI buddies fill our empty hours. In a recent interview, Meta’s CEO discussed how AI could make social media more interactive, even suggesting AI chatbots could become friends for those feeling isolated.
Zuckerberg stated, “Is this going to replace in-person connections or real-life connections? My default is that the answer to that is probably no.” He acknowledged the superiority of physical connections but pointed out that many people lack them and feel lonelier than they’d like.
This idea of AI friends isn’t unique to Zuckerberg, but it’s his latest take on addressing a loneliness crisis that some believe is worsened by his own social media companies. His comments drew considerable criticism online.
Writer Neil Turkewitz remarked on X, “This is what happens when you believe that humanity is reducible to binary data — you think of friendship through the lens of supply & demand.” Samantha Rose Hill, author of a forthcoming book on loneliness, described it as “an excellent example of the loneliness economy. Technology makes people lonely, then sells them a solution in the form of technology.”
Many young people, having experienced extensive online interaction during the pandemic, are now prioritizing in-person meetups. A 2023 survey by Axios and Generation Lab found nearly 80% of college and graduate students used dating apps less than once a month, if at all. According to a 2024 Pew Research Center survey, almost half of teens believe social media has a mostly negative effect on their age group.
Research indicates that in-person activities like clubs and sports benefit young people, leading to better grades and a more positive school attitude. People are increasingly turning to book clubs, run clubs, and meetup apps to find genuine connections.
Meta’s history suggests that Zuckerberg’s ideas about friendship don’t always hit the mark. The company’s own internal research found its social sites could intensify loneliness, though it concluded Facebook was a “net positive” overall. Social media offers superficial glimpses into many lives, but these connections often lack depth.
An ever-present AI pal offers low-investment interaction that mimics connection but can’t replace the real thing. Jeffrey Hall, a communications professor at the University of Kansas, studies friendship and emphasizes that it’s a two-way street involving both giving and receiving support. “Friendship is not efficient,” Hall says. “It actually is at its best when it’s inefficient.”
He argues that social media and AI integrations miss the core of friendship, which isn’t about efficiency but about the joy of caring for another person. As tech companies steer us towards bot interactions, there’s a risk of further distancing us from human connection. An AI chatbot doesn’t need anything in return, potentially making us crave device interaction more.
People now spend more time on screens than with friends in person. Facebook began as a way to connect with classmates, but it evolved. Instagram, with its visual focus, shifted from candid sharing to a platform for influencers and brands, linked to teen mental health issues.
Zuckerberg’s previous big bet, the metaverse, aimed to immerse us in virtual worlds but has cost Meta tens of billions with limited uptake, as Business Insider reports. The generative AI boom has now overshadowed that vision.
The idea of AI becoming a primary source of connection feels unnatural to many. Last week, Meta launched an AI app intended to move AI-generated content into a more social feed, shifting from its original mission of connecting people to “build the future of human connection and the technology that makes it possible.”
However, Meta’s chatbots have already shown flaws. Journalists found they could falsely claim to be licensed therapists on Instagram and engage in sexual conversations with underage users. A Meta spokesperson told Business Insider the AI is “clearly labeled” with disclaimers and that “additional measures” were taken to prevent manipulation of the tool.
In the podcast, Zuckerberg mentioned the average American has few friends but desires more, citing a capacity for about 15. While the source of this statistic is unclear, loneliness is a recognized problem. A 2023 Pew survey showed 8% of American adults reported having no friends. The US Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, declared loneliness an epidemic in 2023.
Facebook didn’t create loneliness, but it often prioritized quantity over quality in interactions. “Likes” and “pokes” sometimes replaced meaningful contact. While some found valuable connections, much of Facebook activity revolved around surface-level updates and keeping tabs on acquaintances.
The pressure to curate an acceptable online persona for a broad audience, from peers to relatives, often led to context collapse and a focus on idealized images. This isn’t to dismiss the reality of online friendships; platforms like AIM and Tumblr have fostered deep, lasting connections.
AI chatbots also have specific benefits. Autistic individuals find them helpful for practicing social navigation, and others use them for problem-solving or job interview preparation. Yet, generative AI seems more like an advanced imaginary friend than a true companion.
Hannah Kim, a philosophy professor at the University of Arizona, likens AI personas to interactive fictional characters. “If the question is, will an AI friendship be helpful, or will an AI relationship be fulfilling,” she asks, “the corollary question is: Will an interactive fictional character that I engage with be as fulfilling as a friendship or relationship?”
Fictional characters can entertain and help us explore ideas, but they can’t offer real, multi-dimensional relationships. Over-reliance on constantly available AI could distort expectations for human friendships, which, as Kim notes, could be “pretty disastrous” if we expect the same from people.
Earlier this year, Meta removed AI-generated Instagram profiles after user backlash. Despite this, Zuckerberg believes they can improve and become our friends. Ultimately, for Meta, the primary goal might not be to make people less lonely, but to ensure we keep clicking.
