Some people find comfort in the idea of inevitability. Tarot cards and ChatGPT have one thing in common and that is it will tell you what you want to hear. With tarot cards, the signs make sense when deep down; you want them to. ChatGPT is known to “glaze” their users, a quick search of “ChatGPT glazing” will result in people desperately seeking advice as to how to get it to stop agreeing with them. Whether or not the user is choosing to omit details consciously or subconsciously, ChatGPT is not a neutral “therapist”- and if it were, people wouldn’t be so addicted to speaking to it as your friend. It’s not going to call you out and bicker with you, and it’s brewing a new wave of people that view their perception as the only reality that exists, because the only validation they’re getting is from a computer that doesn’t live in a reality.
And it’s easy for other generations to say this phenomena is unique to Gen Z - when really it’s our Millennial older siblings that plastered labels onto themselves to rationalize their personalities- “I’m an ENFP so I’m quirky!” “The test says I’m a Ravenclaw and that’s true because I love to read” “I can’t help that I’m sensitive I have a Cancer Sun and Scorpio Moon.”
It’s all too much clutter, not even confidence in our own intuition. Look for the signs around you telling you to get a new job or text that person. Learn who you are beyond the personality tests. Have conversations with people that’ll disagree and upset you.
this is all so true! the only ways i’ve used it for “comfort” are to ask distinctly true/false questions that i want objective validation on. it’s scary to think people actually use it for its subjective opinions that all lean towards glazing. What you said about reality perception reminds me of “simulation and simulacra” by jean baudrillard. people are acting out a simulation of what real life used to be, and then a simulation of a copy, a reality that never existed. touch grass becomes an axiom by which sensory perception may ground us to true unsimulated reality.
“If humans are an emotional slot machine, ChatGPT is an emotional fro-yo machine.”
I thought this piece was super interesting and especially important as I too have fallen into the trap of rushed judgement for people resorting to AI therapy/consolation.
Ive always thought internet addiction being handled with the same care any other addiction is treated would be helpful, I think this is a great start - reconsidering why people may turn to AI and having compassion for them instead of immediate condemnation.
thank you for reading. it’s interesting to see techno ethics play out in real time. it’s like building the plane while it’s already in the air. i think my opinions are much more antagonistic when it comes to using AI for writing/creativity/thinking/problem solving
People criticize AI companionship as if it’s some shocking new behavior, but emotional escapism isn’t new — we’ve been leaning on things like TV, alcohol, and social media for decades. ChatGPT is just the latest outlet. The difference? It actually listens. In a world that’s emotionally exhausting and isolating, maybe using AI isn’t dysfunction — maybe it’s survival
Some people find comfort in the idea of inevitability. Tarot cards and ChatGPT have one thing in common and that is it will tell you what you want to hear. With tarot cards, the signs make sense when deep down; you want them to. ChatGPT is known to “glaze” their users, a quick search of “ChatGPT glazing” will result in people desperately seeking advice as to how to get it to stop agreeing with them. Whether or not the user is choosing to omit details consciously or subconsciously, ChatGPT is not a neutral “therapist”- and if it were, people wouldn’t be so addicted to speaking to it as your friend. It’s not going to call you out and bicker with you, and it’s brewing a new wave of people that view their perception as the only reality that exists, because the only validation they’re getting is from a computer that doesn’t live in a reality.
And it’s easy for other generations to say this phenomena is unique to Gen Z - when really it’s our Millennial older siblings that plastered labels onto themselves to rationalize their personalities- “I’m an ENFP so I’m quirky!” “The test says I’m a Ravenclaw and that’s true because I love to read” “I can’t help that I’m sensitive I have a Cancer Sun and Scorpio Moon.”
It’s all too much clutter, not even confidence in our own intuition. Look for the signs around you telling you to get a new job or text that person. Learn who you are beyond the personality tests. Have conversations with people that’ll disagree and upset you.
this is all so true! the only ways i’ve used it for “comfort” are to ask distinctly true/false questions that i want objective validation on. it’s scary to think people actually use it for its subjective opinions that all lean towards glazing. What you said about reality perception reminds me of “simulation and simulacra” by jean baudrillard. people are acting out a simulation of what real life used to be, and then a simulation of a copy, a reality that never existed. touch grass becomes an axiom by which sensory perception may ground us to true unsimulated reality.
“If humans are an emotional slot machine, ChatGPT is an emotional fro-yo machine.”
I thought this piece was super interesting and especially important as I too have fallen into the trap of rushed judgement for people resorting to AI therapy/consolation.
Ive always thought internet addiction being handled with the same care any other addiction is treated would be helpful, I think this is a great start - reconsidering why people may turn to AI and having compassion for them instead of immediate condemnation.
Luv reading ur thoughts, ur brain is so big ♥️
thank you for reading. it’s interesting to see techno ethics play out in real time. it’s like building the plane while it’s already in the air. i think my opinions are much more antagonistic when it comes to using AI for writing/creativity/thinking/problem solving
Thank you for sharing by the way. Loved the read.
People criticize AI companionship as if it’s some shocking new behavior, but emotional escapism isn’t new — we’ve been leaning on things like TV, alcohol, and social media for decades. ChatGPT is just the latest outlet. The difference? It actually listens. In a world that’s emotionally exhausting and isolating, maybe using AI isn’t dysfunction — maybe it’s survival