The illusion of companionship without the demands of friendship
Chatbots are plagued by our primitive needs and desires. Our basic urges derive from the lower-level areas of the brain, such as the limbic system, which is involved in emotions and motivation. Studies found that users expected an asymmetric relationship in which they were in the dominant position.
There are power differences in many real-life relationships. Power refers to a capacity of influencing another’s behavior, making demands and having those demands met (Dwyer, 2000). When interacting with bots, people expect to have more power than the other side, to feel they can control the interaction and lead the conversation to whatever places they feel like.
Unconsciously this makes them feel better about themselves and gain back a sense of control over their lives. In other words, in order to boost our self-esteem, we have a hidden desire to hold at least one power-driven relationship in our life. There is no better candidate for this relationship than chatbots.
But in developing robots that are specifically designed to be companions, people experience artificial empathy as though it were the real thing. Unlike real humans, who can be self-centered and detached, chatbots have a dog-like loyalty and selflessness. They will always be there for you and will always have time for you.
The combination of intelligence, loyalty and faithfulness is irresistible to the human mind. Being heard without having to listen to the other person is something we implicitly crave. The danger is that such interactions with chatbots could lead to a preference among some for relationships with artificial intelligence rather than with fallible and sometimes unreliable human beings.
We’re designing technologies that will give us the illusion of companionship without the demands of friendship. As a result, our social lives could be seriously impeded as we turn to technology to help us feel connected in ways we can comfortably control.
Bots are undoubtedly useful, and can greatly assist us in the digital sphere. Moreover, fine-tuning technological processes with human psychological concepts helps us make leaps in our knowledge and business practices.
However, it’s important to maintain barriers — for seasoned CEOs and particularly for the younger generation of business leaders. The tablet-addicted toddlers entertained by “nanny bots” may grow up to be moody teenagers who turn to crowd-pleasing cyber-buddies instead of resolving issues with real friends. In adulthood, no amount of technological prowess will teach them the most crucial, timeless and vital business practice of all: establishing a genuine, personal and sincere rapport with your clients and customers.