The Dark Side of AI-Powered Dating: A Personal Account
A Date with AI
Anyone who has swum in the murky pool that is online dating knows it can sometimes be a grim place. It is wise, therefore, to carry out a spot of due diligence before turning up somewhere to meet a stranger from the internet, who may or may not be a jerk, energy vampire or indeed a fictional character created by a disgruntled former flame. I, alas, have personal experience of all three.
A New Level of Due Diligence
A recent date took this idea and really ran with it. Not only had he googled me before our first encounter, but he had also asked ChatGPT’s new “deep research” tool to, well, deep research me, and come up with a psychological profile. An eight-page psychological profile.
The Machine’s Verdict
“Kelly comes across as intellectually curious, independent-minded, and courageous in her convictions . . . which suggests a high degree of self-confidence and integrity,” said The Machine. “Her humorous anecdotes about her own gaffes betray a lack of ego and an ability to laugh at herself . . Psychologically, one might describe Kelly as a sceptic with a conscience.”
My Thoughts on the Analysis
All nice enough. But I’m not sure it quite captures how I might feel and behave in a dating context. Does The Machine believe that there is no more to me than the opinions I have expressed publicly? It displayed no degree of uncertainty or doubt about its analysis. Also, is it implying that most sceptics have no conscience? Psychologically, one might describe The Machine as an intellectually challenged entity with excessive self-confidence.
Ethics of AI-Powered Dating
Is it ethical to be using generative artificial intelligence in this way? Just because information is out there, does that mean accessing an AI-processed, aggregated, speculatively psychoanalysed distillation of it is fair game? I thought I would turn to — who else? — The Machine for an answer.
The Machine’s Response
“While using AI to gain insights about someone might seem tempting, psychological profiling without their knowledge can be invasive and unfair,” The Machine replied. “People are complex, and AI can’t replace real human interaction, observation, and intuition.”
A Question of Consent
I then asked Gemini AI model if it was okay to use its deep research tool to profile someone without their explicit consent. It responded, “You should not use ChatGPT to profile someone without their explicit consent, as it can be a violation of privacy and potentially harmful.”
Conclusion
My experience has taught me that generative AI is creating a very unequal online world. Only those of us who have generated a lot of content can be deeply researched and analysed in this way. I think we need to start pushing back.
FAQs
Q: Is it ethical to use AI-powered dating tools?
A: No, not without explicit consent.
Q: Can AI replace human interaction?
A: No, AI can’t replace real human interaction, observation, and intuition.
Q: What is the purpose of AI-powered dating tools?
A: To gain insights about someone, but not at the expense of their privacy and autonomy.
Q: What can be done to prevent AI-powered dating tools from being misused?
A: Establish clear guidelines and regulations around the use of AI-powered dating tools, and ensure that users are informed and consent to any profiling that takes place.
