Governing AI Companions
My conversation with Dr. Raffaele Ciriello and Dr. Jessica Szczuka about their new papers on the risks and governance of AI companions | Edition #283
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Governing AI Companions
Given the immense popularity of AI companionship and the various tragic stories associated with it, I spoke with Dr. Raffaele Ciriello and Dr. Jessica Szczuka, two researchers deeply involved in the topic, about the risks, the data, and how to govern AI companions.
The conversation was based on two papers published by them this month:
“Not a Silver Bullet for Loneliness: How Attachment and Age Shape Intimacy with AI Companions,” by Raffaele Ciriello, Uri Gal, and Ofir Turel - link
“Regulating Artificial Intimacy: From Locks and Blocks to Relational Accountability,” by Henry Fraser, Raffaele Ciriello, and Jessica Szczuka - link
The result was a fascinating one-hour conversation about AI companions, their risk profile, human vulnerability, and some of the current challenges affecting their governance and regulation.
If you use AI chatbots regularly or want to learn more about the rise and risks of AI companionship, do not miss our conversation and find my key takeaways below. You can watch it here:
Video chapters:
00:00 - The challenges of AI companion regulation
11:30 - AI companions and vulnerability
20:45 - Emerging risks and the current data
27:58 - Individual vs. societal perspectives
37:57 - Vulnerability and intimate attachment
44:42 - Duty of care
51:38 - The future of human relationships
This is a complex topic, and data remains limited, as only in recent years have millions of people begun to develop emotional and intimate interactions with AI chatbots.
With that in mind, here are my key takeaways from this conversation:
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