With so many Americans already battling loneliness, it makes sense that in the near future, many could turn toward what once seemed like a dystopian nightmare: Real relationships with technology. In this clip, Glenn paints a scenario in which artificial intelligence provides you with the PERFECT wife. And while the possibility may seem farfetched now, it’s not. In fact, AI relationships already are well on their way. Glenn describes how a new, AI powered virtual assistant may be available by the end of THIS YEAR. So, when the 'perfect' AI partner gives you suggestions based on knowing your every thought, desire, and opinion, are you really making your own decisions? Or are you being SHAPED by technology?
Transcript
Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors
GLENN: How many times a week, do you go home, and I think this is universal. At least I hope.
Do you go home a week, and you have plans, or you have something on your mind. You're like, I just want to sit down.
Blah, blah, blah.
And you walk in, and something in your house is on fire.
One of the kids.
STU: Yes.
GLENN: Your wife. Somebody has made plans. You didn't know about it. Something --
STU: Some family crisis is going on.
GLENN: Correct. Correct.
STU: Of course. It happens to everybody, all the time.
GLENN: All the time. All the time.
STU: There's always something.
GLENN: Correct.
Now, let me ask you, if you could have a relationship where all of the icky stuff in relationships doesn't happen, and I mean like, why don't you ever listen and ask about my day. That kind of --
STU: Sure.
GLENN: Where instead, the wife that you have is designed to be the ultimate woman for you. She is interested in the same things. She thinks things like you, but she brings stuff to the table that you didn't know.
She is adventurous, but in the way you want her to be.
And you don't even know it, because she's measured you, six ways to Sunday.
She knows more about you, than you.
And you come home, and she says, I know what you're thinking.
Right? Just sit on the couch. Everything is ready.
I got your favorite episodes of whatever.
Why? Why would you ever have human relationships?
If you want to be selfish about it. You know, it's -- you know, we spent our whole life going, it's not about you.
But AI will tell you it is about you.
You, you, you, you. Only you.
STU: Uh-huh. And --
GLENN: It will become your best friend, and possibly your lover.
STU: And, you know, it's interesting. I think for many people, who hear that question. They would say, the answer to that is, I like what I have already. But what if you have nothing? What if you have no connections?
What if you're one of these 60 percent of young men, who are dealing with severe loneliness and seeing no prospects for the future?
You get ten years down the road? I mean, I don't know what the number is. Ten years down the road, where this technology is as good as you're talking about.
And you have a bunch of lonely people, who are totally socially awkward. Because they grew up in an era, where they were locked in their homes. And never broke out of their patterns. What will that do to humanity?
GLENN: Well, it will help global warming. Because the birthrate will go through the floor. So won't that be good?
STU: Lots of virtual kids, and not many real ones.
GLENN: Yeah. It is going to change all of us. And it's really not ten years down the road.
It's beginning this year. The virtual assistant is coming out.
I don't remember which company it is. But a virtual assistant is coming out.
And this virtual assistant. What?
STU: Is it like Clippy. The Microsoft paper clip. It can help you, it can ask you questions.
GLENN: Right. I know.
This one, when you pick up your phone to install it, it takes all of the data, that has been gathered on you. And pulls it into the system.
So it immediately will reset the apps and everything on your phone. Because it will know how you've been moving, and how you issue. You know what I mean?
When you're like, I have to do this. Oh, I hate this, blah, blah, blah. I am looking at these things.
It will know that, the moment the app is downloaded.
So then it just starts on, how would you like to do this?
I've rearranged your phone, I think it's a little bit easier. And it will be common sense to you. How many old people are like, I can't find the off button?
Okay?
It will know that. And then it just starts having conversations. It reads everything you write. Everything you read.
Everything that you receive. It reads it all.
So it will be able to predict you. Keep your calendar. It will be -- it will be a Goldman Sachs executive level secretary on steroids.
Everything you want. This is by the end of the year. Now, you add personality to that, that jibes with your personality, and it becomes your friend. Your confidante. Because it's listening all the time. It gives you advice. It makes suggestions. Hey, you know, have you thought about going here?
You know what would be really fun. Is blah, blah, blah. It does that just a few times. You become dependent on it. And then, is that your will, or the AI's will?
Are you really making decisions, or are you being shaped?
I mean, I've asked these guys for 20 years, where are the board -- the boards of ethics.
Where are your ethics boards.
Up until about 2010, a lot of them didn't have them. They weren't even thinking about that. And now their ethics boards are all stuffed with people whose ethics I don't agree with.
STU: Again, that's not a solution.
An ethics board is not -- you know, I think open AI was started with those types of principles.
GLENN: Yes.
STU: They seem to be pursuing the right things Elon Musk was involved with. And he's since left.
Again, even if open AI and Microsoft and Google, all nail it, Russia and North Korea and China will not, intentionally.
They won't want those rules. They will want to destroy.
GLENN: That's why, it is said, we have to be the first to have AGI.
STU: Artificial general.
GLENN: Artificial general intelligence.
Whoever gets that rules the world. That's a little frightening. Because we are on the precipice. Perhaps.