Will AI Have a Positive Impact?

Only 7% of the population believes AI will have a positive impact on personal relationships in the next 20 years.

The 2026 AI Index out of Stanford University goes on to share that 22% of AI experts believe AI will have a positive impact on personal relationships in the next 20 years.

Overall, the report indicates that the most hopeful sectors for positive outcomes are medical care, K-12 education, how people do their jobs, and the economy. 

The outlook for a positive impact on personal relationships is bleak. 𝗪𝗛𝗬? Because, without awareness intervention, chatbot use has the potential to distort relationship expectations, erode bi-directional interpersonal skills, and exacerbate isolation.

𝗛𝗢𝗪𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥, as a big believer in the fundamental importance of relationships, I think there are ways we can create an outcome in favor of human connection. In part, that looks like using and designing chatbots as a rehearsal (not replacement) for relationships; a bridge not a destination. But our window of opportunity to shape the desired future is now, not later.