AI intimacy already here. How do humans deal? #TEDTalks

72% of American teenagers have formed a relationship with an AI companion. Can you imagine your first meaningful relationship is with an AI? Cuz here's what we know. The more time that you spend with something that doesn't demand anything of you, that never gets tired, that never needs to be nurtured, that never talks back, the less tolerance you have for the humans that do. and real intimacy like going on dates or having sex, being in a relationship. H it's messy, awkward moments and uncomfortable or you may like stuff up and send the wrong text or say the wrong thing and then you have to like show up, apologize or forgive someone. There's so much friction and that friction in intimacy that's the feature. It's not a bug. That's where we build the muscles of human intimacy, where we learn empathy, communication, listening, patience, and with AI, that sort of building those muscles, it's gone. There's no workout. It's all easy, right? It's easy to meet an AI. It's easy to talk to leave an AI. And when intimacy is that easy, I believe we lose something vital. And I'm not just talking about our tolerance for humans. I'm talking about our drive. Our drive for growth, our ability to be uncomfortable and sit there in discomfort with someone and just sit in the muck, right, and work it out. Now, for future generations, how will they ever develop that capacity if they've never had to?