Isabel Bekele from Dazed reports in a recent article that young people are turning to AI to navigate awkward conversations and challenging situations in today’s complex world. Bekele begins the article featuring Juan Cassanova, a Brooklyn-based photographer, who used ChatGPT to navigate a long-distance friendship breakup. Cassanova reportedly shared his feelings through a voice memo, and the chatbot provided advice on how to approach the conversation, including using the “sandwich method” and avoiding certain approaches.
Bekele notes that AI is increasingly used to navigate uncomfortable conversations, with studies showing its use in rehearsing difficult discussions and addressing workplace issues.
Below are key highlights from Bekele’s Dazed article:
- Research on AI use in personal life: Bekele cites a study by EVA AI showing that 28 percent of respondents had used AI companions to rehearse emotionally difficult conversations before having them in real life. A separate study by Resume.org found that 94 percent of Gen Z workers surveyed use AI chatbots to help navigate workplace issues.
- Why people choose AI over friends: Bekele shares the story of Rebecca, a 24-year-old in New York, who turned to ChatGPT during the end of her four-year relationship because her friends were divided in their advice and she wanted a non-biased third party. Rebecca also worried that confiding in friends would permanently damage their view of her boyfriend if she chose to stay. She used the chatbot as a sounding board, refining what she wanted to say before meeting her partner.
- Crafting the right words: Aniya, a 24-year-old in Maryland, used ChatGPT to write “this isn’t going to work” messages to people she had been dating. According to Bekele, the chatbot remembered her past relationships and would point out recurring patterns in her dating life.
- Expert views on the practice: Dorothy Leidner, a University of Virginia professor who studies AI ethics, told Dazed that using AI this way is reasonable, especially for shy or insecure people. Social scientist Julie Carpenter is more skeptical. Carpenter argues that AI lacks responsibility, accountability, and an understanding of risk, gender, race, or history, so scripted conversations may fall apart in real interactions.
- When AI falls short: Ftsum Michael, 26, told Bekele he stopped using AI for personal messages because the wording never matched what he actually felt.
Bekele closes by noting that people often reach for AI out of perfectionism rather than laziness, treating it like a cheat code for delicate moments. Still, as Carpenter puts it in the article, AI may soothe people in the moment but works only as a temporary salve.
Acknowledgement: This summary was generated using Claude AI as part of my AI Exploration process. For more information, please refer to the original article listed below.