I have a fascination with human emotions and interactions, so with the development of more and more advanced means of artificial intelligence (and therefore, artificial interactions,) I'm often thinking about what kind of impact that will have on society.
I try to keep up with documentaries about the constant development of increasingly "realistic" "companion dolls," some of which are now designed to have interchangeable faces, eye colors, features (body parts, shapes, sizes, and ethnicities,) voices, and even personalities. It's the Adult Version of Build-a-Bear in which the customer gets to choose whatever they want, whenever they want, and however they want it. But this is "Adult Entertainment," some might think, and is in a separate category of its own.
I don't think so. Things like these ASMR videos are a glimpse into the ways that even the most mundane, everyday things are becoming intertwined with artificial forms of interaction that have no consequences or need to consider another person. Unhappy with your life? Just create a new one on YouTube, or go there to find other people who fit what you want to be instead. And I am always wondering what that is going to lead to.
I think Japan's, for as absolutely brilliant as it is, is also a good example of what will happen to humanity, as its population seems to be creeping toward extinction. Apparently, fewer and fewer young people are interested in dating, let alone marrying or having children. Young people are choosing to stay at home immersed in the fantasy worlds their culture has built. Why bother looking for a real person when they have pop idols and manga characters to latch on to? I'm sure it's not a coincidence that Japan is also known for some of the most advanced companion dolls on the market.
In a desperate attempt to even maintain, let alone expand the population, the government actually funds meetups, matchmaking, and dating events in the hope that young people will meet and "hit it off." Supposedly, if the trends keep going the way they are now, it's very possible that the Japanese will die out within a few more generations.
I don't think that will happen here in the USA. There is a very pervasive hookup culture here that always produces children to some degree, so I honestly doubt the US population would die out due to a lack of reproduction (at least if current trends continue.) Unwed pregnancies and single parenthood are not culturally acceptable in Japan like they are here, so they have more reason to concerned. (And I am in no way judging anyone, seeing as I am adopted and was probably the result of an unwed union myself.)
These are all just my own hunches (and I hope that I am wrong,) but I'm guessing that we are heading towards a world in which the only time real human beings get out and interact is when they want to use each other for something, let alone marry and stay together for a lifetime.
(The men in the documentaries I watched wanted "the best of both worlds" -- a real-life girlfriend or wife to provide love and companionship, but only if the live woman was willing to accept his companion doll(s) as part of their lifestyle.) One man was married but had 4 companion dolls that cost around $4000+ each, which his wife theoretically accepted.
I'm certainly not trying to pin this all on men, as I'm sure they have male dolls available as well.
What I'm trying to say is that I think humanity is only half a step away from accepting an almost entirely artificial world, and that will be most people's preference.