AI will never replace in person social interactions with real people nor does it fix the “Social Dilemma”.
It may be better than what we see on social media social media today. But we need to become human again and the feeling of belonging has always been at the root of Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs.
That is why we are building an app that encourages people to be social IRL and rewards them. Building community like we used to in the old days but with the help of technology.
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RIP Social Apps, 2005-2023
As of iOS 18, friend-based contact sync apps are basically dead on arrival. The number of people consenting to the new permission has nose-dived—so there is no way to get density in a meaningful way.
But as one door closes, another opens up:
From the handful of dashboards I've seen, the retention rates on AI companion/girlfriend apps are extraordinary.
Instinctually, I thought the entire space was bullshit. But it's now clear that the ability to craft relevant, empathetic responses to any user input is a powerful lever to activating users and entrenching them into a relationship, albeit artificial.
For better or for worse, LLMs might be the new Contact Sync. If we can't find our friends on apps anymore, people will find something else to talk to.