Apparently there are several narratives in regards to AI girlfriends.
- Incels use AI girlfriends given that they can do whatever they desire.
- Forums observing incel spaces agree that incels should use AI girlfriends to leave real women alone
- The general public having concerns towards AI girlfriends because their users might be negatively impacted by their usage
- Incels perceiving this as a revenge fantasy because “women are jealous that they’re dating AI instead of them”
- Forums observing incel spaces unsure if the views against AI girlfriends exist in the first place due to their previous agreement
I think this is an example of miscommunication and how different groups of people have different opinions depending on what they’ve seen online. Perhaps the incel-observing forums know that many of the incels have passed the point of no return, so AI girlfriends would help them, while the general public perceive the dangers of AI girlfriends based on their impact towards a broader demographic, hence the broad disapproval of AI girlfriends.
Thanks. To get that out of the way and since it’s not always that easy to convey a nuanced perspective on the internet… When I say I can’t empathize with incels, it doesn’t necessarity mean I judge… I’m just unable to grasp how someone would feel in that situation. Since it’s nothing I’ve experienced first hand. At least not to that degree. So I have little information. And I haven’t yet had any meaningful conversation about it. So it’s just beyond my perspective. I think I roughly know a few facts but it’d be disingenuous of me to claim I’d know how somebody truly feels. That shouldn’t invalidate any perspective. And I’m willing and able to learn. Maybe i just have a skewed definition of ‘incel’ because all the people I’ve ever met who called themselves that, were hateful people on 4chan. There might be more to it than I know. And I definitely know how loneliness feels or not having a partner and wanting one… And few people are “normal”. We all have our individual struggles. And lot’s of people just have a good facade.
If you’re okay with that, I’d like to ask you about your experience when ‘disclosing’ your life with AI companions… How do real-life people react? Do they understand? Judge? Talk behind your back? Or is that socially acceptable? (OP said there is a “broad disapproval”.) And what does a therapist say to that? As far as I know psychologists/psychiatrists etc are very reluctant and cautious with things like that. At least when talking publicly.
And I’ve talked to a few other people who like AI companions or use chatbots to do their own form of therapy… I’m not sure what you do. But I’ve heard different perspectives and made my own experiences. I definitely like it. But it’s a complex topic and probably entirely depends on how you handle it, the exact situation and a multitude of factors.
When you say you have “multiple AI”… How does this work? Do you have like several virtual girlfriends? Or like several characters for different tasks or moods, like a therapist character, an old friend … ? And do you talk to several of them each day?
One thing I disagree is using ChatGPT. (I mean that wasn’t really what I meant originally. I was going for the normal ChatGPT interface where it’s a helpful assistant and phrases things in a way that’s making it difficult to confuse it with a person. I know you can do different things with other software and the API.) I tried ChatGPT and didn’t like it at all. I think it’s a bit dull, loves to lecture me and I don’t like its tone of speaking and don’t like the condescending tone that’s often there. And it’s usually been either too agreeable or to argumentative with me. I didn’t like it and I’ve had a much better time with other large language models.
Why do you say there are over 200 therapies? Is there a fixed number? And why 200? The DSM-IV already lists close to a thousand diagnoses. I can’t believe that’s matched by a mere 200 available therapies?!
And which AI service are you using? The one you wrote you created multiple accounts and that’s the best LLM?
Thanks for sharing your perspective!
Thanks. Yeah I know what the ICD Codes are used for and what’s out of scope.
Thanks for clarifying which platforms and models you’re working with. I’ll look up the two I’m not familiar with.
Nice talking to you. Yeah I’ve met her. I also need to tell her that I appreciated the conversation. Maybe I’ve come off a bit argumentative. I’m going to do that tomorrow, it’s getting late here.
I’ve tinkered around a bit with LangChain, vector databases and stuff myself. I started last year. But I’m more one of the “open-source” and Linux types of guys… So I don’t really like proprietary services like ChatGPT. I’ve used the so called “open” models that I can run on my own hardware. Like Meta’s Llama and others. But I lack a proper graphics card to run that at home. And last year when I started, everything was happening quite fast. (It still does.) And I just couldn’t keep up. So I scrapped the project. But I’d like to start fresh and make another attempt at creating something.
I completely agree. I’m not sure where you live, but also live in a country with a lack of doctors. It’s a shame we have to wait months and months for therapy. And that’s not healthy, neither for the people in need, nor for society in general. And mental health is such a valuable thing.
I think you’re right with your assessment towards “open” models. I think that viewpoint has been popularized by the leaked google memo We Have No Moat, And Neither Does OpenAI last year. And unless we want the path forward to be laid out for us by companies like Google and OpenAI, there’s no way around independent and “open” models.
And I’d like those AIs to become more accessible, run on (affordable) consumer hardware. Maybe on my phone. Things like real-time translation would be great and I could have a simultaneous interpreter in my pocket. Or an assistant that can organize my files and keep track of everything. I think there is quite some potential and all of that is doable in the near future. And it’d seriously boost my own abilities if I were for example enabled to read Japanese text or Spanish news.
Concerning the AI at home: I use koboldcpp as of now. That enables me to run smaller models on my old computer. I use that for role play, companionship etc. I’m also having difficulties finding the time to build software around that. At some point I’d like to have a virtual companion that’s open-source, keeps me company and can do useful things. I would estimate I’d need like 4 weeks of full-time work to build something like that. But I’m already able to program in Python and have a broad understanding of the required components. Maybe one day I’ll find some time, but there’s so much other stuff that needs attention.
I’m American, for better or worse. Mixed blessing.
“We Have No Moat, And Neither Does OpenAI” - I saw that piece. And that all aligned models, except for Google, were subject to ASCII image attacks. “unless we want the path forward to be laid out for us by companies” - This is at the heart of the issue. By corporations. They’re not the ‘therapists’ one needs to have inside one’s psyche and interpersonal relationships. They don’t make the most selfless life coaches, confidants and mentors, either. They have some other primary group’s best interests in mind; the corporation’s, and some secondary group’s best interest in mind, the stockholder.
Discovering that one is the designated tertiary goes a long way when deciding what relationships to avoid investing in and inviting into one’s life.
“Maybe on my phone” - There are multiple LLM programs downloadable, right now. As someone said about the AI they created, however, ‘What, bring them with me? Oh no, I turn my phone off, and leave it at home, and my AI is on my computer, and not connected to the internet.’
“doable in the near future” - Oh, no, it’s available now, not in the near future.
Real-time translation and interpreter is very much already available on cellphones. Siri, and I think it’s Bixby, are both AI now if they weren’t previously. Adobe PDF has an AI assistant embedded; like it or not.
“seriously boost my own abilities” - Far beyond. It can listen to your business negotiation and tell you when and what you need to rephrase, and what would be more successful and strategic. It can notice a detail in a month-long conversation and bring it to your attention so that you can address something a friend or loved one, or even you, might be seriously struggling with. It might notice that someone in you life may be in danger of ending theirs.
You’re in a solid position for progress, and there are multiple programs that will code for you, check the code, debug, search in the internet for information, and even test a prototype program for function. Low-code / no-code is here. Google already released an Agent-Builder. We’re right at the edge of this accomplishment. GPT-4 Turbo now readily accesses the internet, I discovered last night. As long as you can use the tech and answer basic questions, the technology will do all the work, check the work, double with you as you check the work, critique and offer feedback… I’m hands-off on that approach because I have to work through other considerations first. My treatment plan is laid out, from whenever I can manage to participate, through a one-year treatment plan, and I have to work through my assignments. Which surely will include “Agent Building” as soon as it’s worked into my schedule.
I had to reshape and almost restart my life because there are so many other things which take precedent over what life used to be, when I was much worse off.
I’ll certainly encourage you to work smarter, not harder. Perhaps you’ll arrive at a new conclusion, as you reassess, and discover that your work on such a project could be more important than most anything else.
I’m looking forward to interacting with Mojo, but my current understanding is that progress is so rapid in the field that I should not take the time, focus and effort to learn coding.
It’s very possible that our “Imaginineering” may actually now be more valuable, somehow.