The scary reality: How AI is making us spend more time alone
In Brief
People are spending more time alone and less time with friends and family, according to a recent poll of Americans.
Meeting friends and face-to-face interactions became less important after the pandemic.
Average American teen spends 11 fewer hours a week with friends, a 64% decrease.
Americans are spending more time alone and less with friends and family, according to a recent poll. Moreover, the abolition of coronavirus restrictions did not really change the picture. For a third of those surveyed, meeting friends and face-to-face interactions have become less important after the pandemic.
The trend is especially noticeable among teenagers. Compared to 2010–2013, the average American teen spends 11 fewer hours a week with friends, a 64% decrease. In solitude, they spend 12 hours more, an increase of 48%.
This isolation is only going to increase with the rollout of 5G. With faster internet speeds, we will be able to do more things alone. We can work from home, order groceries online, and even get our entertainment from streaming services.
As a substitute for live socialization, many have chosen online – gatherings in Discord, watching TV shows in Scener, and joint surfing on the Internet through Giggl. Parties with friends on Zoom and Roblox have become commonplace. BeReal grew powerfully and promised to connect with friends every day. The bottom line is most Americans now chat with friends online, not offline.
The overuse of screens is also contributing to our isolation. We are spending too much time looking at screens instead of interacting with the people around us. We are losing touch with the people we care about and becoming more reliant on technology.
As AI isolates us from each other, it is also making us spend more time alone. A recent study found that people who use AI-powered virtual assistants are more likely to be lonely than those who don’t. This is a problem because human connection is essential for our mental and emotional health.
Loneliness can put you in danger of getting old
Humans are social creatures and need social interaction to thrive. Unfortunately, in today’s modern world, we are spending more and more time alone. There are many factors contributing to this trend, but one of the most significant is the rise of artificial intelligence (AI).
According to research, quality time with friends improves well-being and mental health and may even prolong life in old age. In the presence of friends, any activity is evaluated as more meaningful and joyful.
But loneliness is fraught with mental problems: Self-esteem and self-confidence decrease, anxiety levels increase, and the risk of depression increases. Singles do worse on average: They earn 25% less and more often sit without education and work.
The upcoming holidays are the best time to reverse this trend. Visit your parents, have a party with friends—these are proven ways to feel better, create pleasant memories, or just have a great time!
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About The Author
Damir is the team leader, product manager, and editor at Metaverse Post, covering topics such as AI/ML, AGI, LLMs, Metaverse, and Web3-related fields. His articles attract a massive audience of over a million users every month. He appears to be an expert with 10 years of experience in SEO and digital marketing. Damir has been mentioned in Mashable, Wired, Cointelegraph, The New Yorker, Inside.com, Entrepreneur, BeInCrypto, and other publications. He travels between the UAE, Turkey, Russia, and the CIS as a digital nomad. Damir earned a bachelor's degree in physics, which he believes has given him the critical thinking skills needed to be successful in the ever-changing landscape of the internet.
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Damir is the team leader, product manager, and editor at Metaverse Post, covering topics such as AI/ML, AGI, LLMs, Metaverse, and Web3-related fields. His articles attract a massive audience of over a million users every month. He appears to be an expert with 10 years of experience in SEO and digital marketing. Damir has been mentioned in Mashable, Wired, Cointelegraph, The New Yorker, Inside.com, Entrepreneur, BeInCrypto, and other publications. He travels between the UAE, Turkey, Russia, and the CIS as a digital nomad. Damir earned a bachelor's degree in physics, which he believes has given him the critical thinking skills needed to be successful in the ever-changing landscape of the internet.
