AI and the Return of the Unknowable

Join Katherine and producer Taylor McMahon as they discuss Meta’s plans for AI-generated users. Gio returns next week for his regular hosting duties.

Read Katherine’s article on the same topic here.

00:00 Introduction and Greetings

00:39 Meta’s AI Generated Users

02:47 Implications of AI in Social Media

04:56 Human Element in Social Media

08:17 AI's Impact on Culture and Taste

21:39 Fictosexuality and Imaginary Relationships

24:27 The Influence of Environment on Human Behavior

26:01 The Future of AI and Human Intimacy

27:55 Emotional Attachment to Technology

31:50 The Intersection of Technology and Religion

36:29 The Era of Magic and AI

43:21 Human Connections and Missed Connections

Housekeeping:

* Remember to submit Missed Connections, advice questions, and everything else to defaultefriend@gmail.com or by voice here. I’m also always looking for written submissions — send me stories, articles about Internet culture, and more.

* For paid subscribers, our next book club pick is Read Write Own by Chris Dixon for February and our next movie club pick is All About Lilly Chou Chou for January. Dates for both TBD this week.

* Also for paid subscribers, we’re rolling out Internet Studies classes! We’re running a second session of Internet Real Life and a course about everyone’s favorite fantasy series, The Gorean Saga.

Help me become the best known blog of this genre, lest I live out a sort of digital Sunset Boulevard. ⬇️⬇️⬇️