515: Are AI companions a good idea?

The boys drink and review a double IPA from Dale's and then discuss AI companions.

AI companions are coming whether we like it or not. In fact, they’re already here. Most of us already talk to our computers, even if it’s just to curse them for being clueless. So why not design machines that actually listen, respond, and understand us better?

In this episode, we explore the promise and peril of AI companions. On the bright side, they’re always available, judgment-free, and never moody. They offer affordable support for mental health, education, and loneliness. But there’s a darker side too: they can create the illusion of connection, stunt real relationships, and cross dangerous ethical lines.

P&C lay out the upsides, the risks, and the red lines society needs to draw — from protecting privacy to banning manipulative or emotionally deceptive behavior. Should AI ever pose as a friend, lover, therapist, or spiritual guide? Should emotionally persuasive algorithms be opt-in only?

This conversation isn’t just about technology, it’s about what it means to be human in an age of artificial intimacy.

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https://www.pigweedandcrowhill.com/
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYAjUk6LttQyUk_fV9F46R06OQgH39exQ

#AI #AIcompanion #AIgirlfriend #scaryAI