Chatbots, avatars, and artificial intelligence (AI) are already part of everyday life for more and more people. Modern chatbots have long since evolved from simple answer machines into complex social bots designed to build emotional connections. These bots ask how we are doing, laugh with us, tell jokes, and seek harmony. But the development goes further: Some bots even offer psychological support.
Social bots can fill a gap created by isolation and loneliness. In a world where human contact is often limited, they offer a sense of closeness and understanding. Many people find that comforting and valuable. But what does it mean when we begin to engage with these artificial friends? Does this development change how we relate to one another? Our society? When we begin to entrust AI systems with our most intimate thoughts and expect emotional support from them? What impact does this have on our relationships with real people? Telekom is currently exploring these questions in a large survey with the Allensbach Institute. In this photo feature, we already show selected examples of why this topic is relevant.
The so-called "Digital Afterlife" industry aims to use artificial intelligence to make it possible to speak with people who have died after their death. Online, companies offer to create a digital replica of you that becomes active after you die. Other companies create virtual avatars - 3D representations - that surviving loved ones can interact with. One example is the U.S. startup You only virtual (YOV). Other startups offer grieving people the option of creating AI avatars of the deceased.
Another area where AI is having an increasing impact is psychological counseling. At a time when therapy appointments are scarce and wait times often last several months, AI-based counseling platforms offer at least a quick option. These programs can respond to our concerns in real time, reassure us, and support us through difficult times.
But can these programs really replace human therapists? AI can recognize patterns in our behavior and offer advice, but what about the deep understanding and emotional intuition that are often crucial to successful therapy? Still, the easy availability of these AI services could lead people to use them as their first point of contact when they need support.
Character.AI shows just how popular social bots for psychological counseling have become: This tool lets users design their own AI bots and share them with others. They can be real public figures, living or deceased, or fictional characters. But the most popular bot is the user-created therapy bot "Psychologist". It received around 78 million messages in 2023 alone. In total, the platform has 475 bots that offer help with mental health issues.
Woebot is also an AI-powered chatbot designed to provide psychological support. The bot uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help people through difficult emotional periods. Woebot offers immediate support, but it is standardized and does not address individual concerns. Learn more about Woebot
The Replika.ai app lets users create a virtual friend who is always available and responds to their personal needs. Users can talk to this bot about anything, and over time, Replika adapts to their preferences and behavior. The AI is programmed to convey a sense of closeness and understanding, making it a likable conversational partner and an important part of some people's lives. Learn more about Replika.
Spanish artist Alicia Framis is going a step further. In fall 2024, she wants to marry an avatar in Rotterdam: an AI hologram named Ailex. Its personality traits are intended to resemble those of the artist's former partners. She says: "Love and sex with robots and holograms are an inevitable reality. They are great companions and capable of showing empathy."
When we begin sharing secrets with bots that we might otherwise tell only a pastor, priest, or close confidant, what does that mean for how we understand intimacy and trust? Algorithms are programmed to process and store information, creating the risk that our most intimate thoughts and feelings may not remain as private as we would like.
For the first time in Germany, an AI-designed church service was held at the 2023 Protestant Church Convention in Fürth, near Nuremberg. From the order of service and texts to the music, the service relied entirely on artificial intelligence. The widely discussed experiment drew more than 400 people to the church.
