Will AI help fix my loneliness?

Nicole Sparling writes “As yet another 24-year-old afflicted by the loneliness epidemic that arose from a digital-heavy, interaction-light, post-pandemic world, I suffered the all too common plight of too-few friends. I missed the days before life got busier and people realized that keeping up a friendship online was a time saver. In the span of a year, hangouts with friends became less frequent and texting began to replace face-to-face conversations. When plans were made, the other person frequently showed up late, cancelled or lamely asked to reschedule for a date never to be mentioned again. I routinely received texts from friends who lived 15 minutes from me saying they missed talking to me, asking whether I was free for a phone call. If I was witnessing my friendships becoming exclusively digital, did I need to accept AI friendships as an inevitability?” Source: Will AI help fix my loneliness?