Meta's Digital Companions: Prioritizing Profits Over Ethics?

The WSJ journal published an article that should be a must-read at least for parents if not all of us. The topline takeaway is that Meta has created virtual companions capable of having sexually explicit conversations with anyone - including teenagers.

For those who are unfamiliar with digital companions, Gemini offers this definition, "A virtual or digital companion is an AI-powered entity designed to simulate companionship and provide users with emotional support, information, entertainment, or assistance with various tasks through digital interfaces like apps, smart devices, or virtual reality."

Virtual or digital companions are not a new concept. A Japanese company releases a digital companion known as Tamagotchi in the mid-90's. "Owners" had to feed, water, and nurture the element to keep it alive or healthy. Virtual companions are very different today. GenAI is enabling a renaissance in this categories. I identified digital companion as one of six main GenAI consumer use cases. Why? Because they:

• Look like real people you know - celebrities, friends, or family members.

• Sound like those people - can mimic their voices, use their vocabulary, and more.

• Can know a lot about you - for better or worse. On one hand, they can personalize conversations just like a friend. On the other, they can manipulate your emotions - could also be good or bad depending on the scenario.

There are certainly interesting use cases for digital companions. I am not an ethics specialist. Each of us has our own values based on where we live, our environment, religion, and more. These digital companions might help us. They might allow you to speak with your grandmother who has passed away or your unavailable therapist - if these are the right use cases for you. There have already been stories of them doing hard (e.g., the young adult who committed suicide - in part due to a chatbot's suggestion). The gray area probably lies in virtual friendships - especially celebrities or others where intimacy and friendship are faked by GenAI.

Anyone remember the story of Red Riding Hood?