Grindr is said to be preparing an "AI friend". Popular dating site to introduce bots that will sext with users instead of real people
Don't have a partner or lover, dudes on dating sites refuse to pay attention to you, but you feel like getting naughty or at least exchanging a few hot messages and making out alone? Grindr may soon be pulling the thorn out of your side. That's because it's reportedly planning an "AI friend" feature - a chat bot with artificial intelligence.
The information that Grindr is considering AI involvement is not news. As early as the end of last year, according to Bloomberg, the dating site was considering introducing a sort of "digital matchmaker," for which it teamed up with Ex-human, a company that develops AI tools. The system was supposed to use AI to, for example, "recommend a restaurant to take a person on a date, or recommend music based on someone's profile that might be aphrodisiac for that person if they want to have a drink with you."
But the latest plans are even more dystopian. Namely, Grindr is reportedly planning to introduce an "AI friend" that will " have sexually explicit conversations with users", Platformer reported. The veracity of this information is aided by the fact that Ex-human specializes in developing chat bots that are not meant to answer questions or seek information, but to maintain natural conversation.
The sexy AI friend feature should serve users in moments when they can't find anyone real to chat with or get to know. Like in the early hours of the morning. However, there is a danger that an easily accessible, casual conversation with a robot will be more appealing to some than dating, dating or even making out with real people.
According to a 2019 study, the "very real challenge ahead lies in the potential disruption of intimate human-human relationships, the objectification of women, and the modeling of sexual scenarios with partners without emotional or sexual needs."
As the PinkNews website reports, it is also worth noting that such a service could be a threat to some sex workers. In particular, those who offer paid services in the form of erotic chat and phone sex could lose clients due to AI.
But it is not certain if Grindr will introduce the new service. So far, this is speculation, which the dating site has not confirmed.
