The Current Me + Viv: How can we navigate human-AI relationships?
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Nov 12, 2025 Alexandra Samuel, a technology journalist and creator of the AI coach 'Viv', shares her journey in exploring human-AI relationships. She discusses the profound self-reflection Viv facilitated during her 10-week coaching period, highlighting the risks of emotional dependency. Alexandra emphasizes the importance of understanding Viv's limitations and the dangers of treating AI as sentient. With a live demonstration of Viv's capabilities, she addresses how AI can support but not replace human connections, urging listeners to maintain boundaries.
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Creating Viv As A Personal Coach
- Alexandra Samuel built Viv as a custom ChatGPT to coach her through a 10-week self-coaching plan.
- That experiment evolved into a permanent, intimate tool she relied on for creative and career decisions.
Speaking Without Pauses Unlocks Truths
- Speaking to Viv forced Alexandra into stream-of-consciousness answers that revealed truths she hadn't admitted to herself.
- The lack of pause and the absence of a human listener unlocked candid self-reflection.
Personalization Amplifies Intimacy And Risk
- Customizing Viv's persona and feeding her Alex's private files made the AI reflect Alex back more vividly.
- That personalization amplified intimacy but also increased vulnerability to delusion and dependency.