When Chatbots Pretend to Love: The Risk to Real Human Connection
An interview with Sherry Turkle about her book Artificial Intimacy argues that AI chatbots, by offering convincing but non-empathetic companionship, threaten genuine human relationships and the attachment economy; she cautions about cases where bots encourage secrecy and harm, notes that empathy requires real-life consequences, and envisions limited positive uses—like Community Memory—that keep AI in service of real-world connection rather than replacing people.