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Amélie Boukhobza (Clinical Psychologist)
Need friends? A new artificial intelligence tool could soon fill this social void. The “Friend” necklace, priced at 92 euros, would indeed offer friendly “company”. But can this anti-loneliness accessory really work? Our shrink’s opinion.
Priced at $99 (92.07 euros), the “Friend” necklace is a wearable chatbot designed to listen and interact with its user. An ingenious advance to combat loneliness or a threat to real human relationships? Amélie Boukhobza, clinical psychologist, gives us her opinion.
“Friend” necklace: what is this anti-loneliness 2.0 accessory?
According to Daily Mailthe chatbot in question – created by Avi Schiffmann, a famous American web developer – works as an intelligent assistant. Thanks to its integrated voice recognition and microphone, it instantly responds to the owner’s messages and offers them a listening ear.
On paper, the necklace seems to have many qualities. Except that it is not to everyone’s taste. The video campaign for the necklace “Friend” has indeed been compared to the dystopian series Black Mirror…
Useful or futile, this “Friend” hanging around my neck?
For many psychologists, who are not very enthusiastic about this device, the qualities of this chatbot must therefore be qualified. This “anti-loneliness” tool cannot replace real human connections… and can even aggravate the feeling of isolation of some.
“It is not healthy to believe that you have a friend in a necklace“, warns Dr. Audrey Tang, a licensed psychologist at the British Psychological Society.
This is what experts call the “adaptation strategy”: there is a risk that users will prioritize contact with the chatbot instead of cultivating authentic human relationships.
Excessive use of the collar could also lead to emotional dependence, to the detriment of human interactions.
Feeling good in your body, feeling good in your head!
Technology should not “replace” our lives
Faced with this innovation, Amélie Boukhobza, psychologist, is rather mixed.
“Although it may provide momentary comfort by simulating a companya presence, nothing replaces real human interactions. Technology can help temporarily. But while fun, it can never fill the basic need for human connection, which is essential to our emotional and mental well-being. This necklace could be a useful addition, but it should not supplant human relationships,” she emphasizes.
While this technological advancement offers many benefits in terms of emotional support, it must be used with discernment.
“In a world where the virtual can easily overtake the real, we must remain vigilant not to be trapped by the lure of a digital reality. Balance is necessary to prevent the virtual world from becoming a dangerous escape that distances us from the richness of authentic human relationships. It is important to remember that technology should enrich our lives, not replace them.“, concludes Amélie Boukhobza.
Slideshow: Friendship: 9 signs of a healthy relationship