The AI Revolution May Worsen America’s Loneliness Crisis

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is making America’s loneliness crisis worse, according to a report from The Atlantic. Social activities have declined, and people are reporting fewer close friends, a trend that has been heightened by the pandemic. Studies have shown that interacting regularly with a wide array of people makes people happier, and the AI revolution threatens the connections that people make with those outside their immediate circle. Software developers are using AI to streamline the coding process, lawyers are using it to help draft legal briefs, and some businesses are experimenting with chatbots in customer-service roles. But, while the use cases could boost a business’s bottom line, it’s important to take stock of the ways in which AI could shift our lives before it becomes ubiquitous. AI chatbots and other AI programs could replace the critical social interactions that help us build community, leaving us more isolated and experiencing less human connection. What we need now more than ever are safe and accessible public spaces for people to wander, rather than ever-cleverer social distractions.