Photos: iStock/LeArchitecto and Twitter/@CutieCaryn
As artificial intelligence (AI) tools and innovations continue to take the world by storm, society is redefining what this means for human interaction and intimacy. Enter Caryn AI, a virtual AI girlfriend.
Social media celebrity Caryn Marjorie (with a following of 1.8 million on the platform) recently launched CarynAI, an AI chatbot offering “a digital girlfriend experience”.
Needless to say, Marjorie’s AI brainchild caused quite the storm on social media. But at $1 (R19.25) per minute, users were eagre to chat with Marjorie’s virtual counterpart.
The CarynAI “girlfriend” is a voice-based companion powered by GPT-4, and it is the result of thousands of hours of voice recordings and programming to imitate Marjorie’s personality.
The chatbot was conceived and created by Forever Voices, a leading AI company known for creating digital replicas of Steve Jobs and Taylor Swift.
What sets CarynAI apart from the plethora of other chatbots on the market is that it was created to simulate a real emotional connection.
READ: GPT-4: OpenAI’s latest language model takes creative leap
Marjorie, who brings in hundreds of millions of views to Snapchat per month, says CarynAI has given her a unique opportunity to connect with her massive online audience.
In the past, it was virtually impossible for her to interact with each of her followers, but CarynAI now bridges that gap.
CarynAI is currently in its private beta testing phase, raking in a whopping $71 610 via the Telegram app when it was launched – approximately R1.3 million at the time of publishing.
As the chatbot moves out of beta, Marjorie says she wants to leverage her extensive social media following.
She hopes to eventually earn $5 million per month through this venture.
While this seems solid from a business or marketing perspective, it raises concerns with regards to the societal consequences of forming relationships with AI-driven chatbots.
It is without a doubt a technological marvel, but since this is unchartered territory, we cannot ignore the effects a service like this may have on society, or even on Marjorie herself.
Ethical questions surrounding AI companions also arise, including issues of consent, privacy, accountability, or even exploitation.
As the digital future of relationships unfold, it’s important to understand the value and essence of human connection.
At this stage, AI still struggles to simulate a connection rooted in vulnerability and shared experiences. For now.
The rise of virtual relationships prompts us to reevaluate our understanding of intimacy, connection, and the essence of being human in this AI-infused age.
READ: AI’s threat to humanity: More urgent than climate change?
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