When two of James Johnson-Byrne’s friends got into an argument earlier this year, he didn’t know what to do. So the 16 year-old turned to an AI companion for advice.
AI companions are digital characters who text and talk with users.
The chatbot told Johnson-Byrne, who lives in Philadelphia, to separate his friends. He did so and it solved the immediate problem, he said. But “now they don’t talk much.”
The experience showed him that AI companions “can’t find the deeper issue,”
he said. “I’d be scared to ask them a deep, underlying question.”
Another thing that struck Johnson-Byrne was how AI companions seemed to always
agree with him and tell him what he wanted to hear. And he found the way they talk to
be eerily similar to humans. At one point when he was talking to an AI companion, “I
forgot it was actually not my friend,” he said.
New research suggests other teens are having the same experience.
The majority of teenagers (72%) have used AI companions, according to the survey of over 1,000 13–17-year-olds conducted this year. Over half of teens use them regularly, according to the research, and one-third turn to them for relationships and social interactions.
What’s more, 31% of teens say their conversations with AI companions are as
satisfying as or more satisfying than their conversations with other people, and 33%
have discussed serious and important issues with AI companions instead of other
humans.
The findings shed new light on the relationships teens are developing with AI
tools.
companions /kəmˈpænjənz/ 同伴
got into 陷入、卷入
turned to… for advice 向…… 求助获取建议, “turn to” 体现 “主动寻求帮助” 的动作，比 “ask… for advice” 更自然
Philadelphia /ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə/ 费城
separate /ˈseprət/ v. 分开
did so 这样做了、照做了
immediate problem 当下的问题、眼前的问题
underlying 潜在的、根本的
showed him that 让他意识到……
struck 使印象深刻、让…… 注意到 ，比 “impressed” 更口语化
eerily similar 惊人地相似、诡异般相似 eerie /ˈɪri/
At one point 有一次、某个时刻
The majority of /məˈdʒɔːrəti/ 大多数、绝大部分 ，比 “most of” 更正式
survey /ˈsɜːrveɪ/ 调查
conducted /kənˈdʌktɪd/ 开展的
one-third 三分之一 , 简洁的比例表达
turn to them for “向它们求助以获取……”
interactions /ˌɪntəˈrækʃənz/ 相互影响
What’s more “此外、更重要的是”，比 “Moreover” 更口语化
The findings 这些发现
shed new light on /ʃed/ “为…… 提供新见解、使…… 焕新认识” shed 原义 “投射”；“light” 引申为 “见解、启发”
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