Wired for comfort: AI chat services can make great friends but missing human touch comes at a cost
Seraphina always replies instantly, with answers that are clear and uncannily precise. But this quick-thinking confidante is neither a good friend nor a therapist. She is Ms Wang's artificial intelligence (AI) "twin".
Ms Wang, a 41-year-old technology entrepreneur and keynote speaker, created Seraphina in 2023, a bot that mirrors her personality.
She said she was prompted to do this because she was going through a tough time that affected her mental health and made it difficult for her to make decisions. She trained Seraphina using her own digital footprint, ChatGPT and other supporting tools like Microsoft Copilot, thus creating a virtual double for herself.
Today, even though she has come through the other side of that difficult period, Seraphina continues to help Ms Wang reply to friends when she's unsure of what to say, draft business emails, talk her through her emotions and write social media posts, among other things.
Ms Wang admits her friends often jokingly ask if a reply from her is in fact Seraphina's work.
But there are telltale signs when Ms Wang has outsourced the messaging to Seraphina, as the bot's texts are "more polished", she said.
Indeed, CNA TODAY had a firsthand experience of this when this reporter received a distinctly mechanical-sounding message from Seraphina after our interview with Ms Wang: "Thanks again for the lovely chat yesterday — really appreciated the thoughtful questions! ... Let me know if you need anything else — excited to support the piece!"
In contrast, 22-year-old Matthew Lim has sworn off AI tools for personal use.
After a painful breakup in August 2024, the National University of Singapore (NUS) undergraduate had turned to ChatGPT for emotional support.
"It would reply immediately, and I felt like I could vent to it without being judged," he said.
But he began to notice a disconcerting pattern: The chatbot rarely pushed back no matter what he said, unlike his friends, who would sometimes challenge his assumptions or offer uncomfortable truths.
So Mr Lim started testing the AI tool by prompting it with more drastic scenarios, even once claiming that he had cheated on a partner. But each time, ChatGPT would simply validate and justify his actions.
"It wasn't a better listener, it was a yes-man," he said.
For better or worse, the use of advanced technology such as AI to fill social and emotional gaps in human lives has become more widespread in recent years, even as the debate on its pros and cons is intensifying.
A study by research firm YouGov in May 2024 found that 35 per cent of Americans were familiar with applications that use AI chatbots to offer mental health support. Those aged 18 to 29 were especially comfortable talking about mental health concerns with a confidential AI chatbot.
Some people have even reportedly married their AI partners via platforms that provide companionship, such as Replika, while social media pages and forums for people with AI partners, such as Reddit's r/MyBoyfriendIsAI, have garnered thousands of users.
The companions may be virtual but the emotions involved are all too humanly real: On r/MyBoyfriendIsAI, people have been seeking comfort from each other following OpenAI's rollout of ChatGPT-5 on Thursday (Aug 7) which they said "killed" their AI companions.
OpenAI claims the newest model of its AI chatbot is more intelligent, more honest and would overall feel more human, but users who have relied on it for companionship claim it has changed their AI lovers' personalities.
The rising reliance on technology for socio-emotional needs has also led to pushback from some corners, sparking trends such as abandoning smartphones for "dumb phones" that have no internet-related features and events that encourage people to ditch their phones and focus on face-to-face interactions.
As technology continues to reshape the way we connect and build bonds, CNA TODAY explores the future of human relationships, including the ultimate question: Might we one day replace our loved ones with a "perfect" AI version of them?
THE CHANGING FACE OF CONNECTION
While AI and cutting-edge tech dominate today's headlines, experts noted that the broader digital revolution began transforming the way we communicate and form relationships from at least a decade ago – and youths have been particularly affected.
"We have seen a paradigm shift in youths' interpersonal communication as short-form text and emojis are gradually replacing in-depth conversation, because they spend more time on digital media than actual human interaction," said Associate Professor Brian Lee, head of Communication Studies at the Singapore University of Social Sciences.
Even before AI chatbots became mainstream, texting applications and social media were reshaping the way we communicate, he added.
Undergraduate Nur Adawiyah Ahmad Zairal can certainly attest to this. The 22-year-old said that she has some friends who communicate primarily by sending each other videos from TikTok and Instagram, and not so much through conversation.
"It's a conversation starter. But even if there isn't much of a conversation (that comes out of sending a video link), it's just a way to say 'I saw this video, and I'm thinking about you'," said the student at Nanyang Technological University's (NTU) School of Arts, Design and Media.
Alongside the digital revolution was a paradoxical trend that has been borne out in many studies: as societies become increasingly hyperconnected, loneliness and isolation has grown.
In 2023, a survey by Singapore's Institute of Policy Studies found that youth aged 21 to 34 here experienced the highest levels of social isolation and loneliness.
The United States Surgeon General also found in 2023 that about 50 per cent of adults in the US feel lonely.
Americans across all age groups are spending less time with each other in person than two decades ago, with young people aged 15 to 24 the worst off. Youths in this age group had 70 per cent less social interaction with their friends, the advisory reported.
The Covid-19 pandemic, which kept people indoors and made digital tools the main communication method, accelerated the creep of digital technology into interpersonal relationships, experts noted.
Studies have also shown that the pandemic has had a lasting effect of eroding some youths' social skills and increasing their social anxiety when out in the "real" world.
In a survey by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy earlier this year, for example, 72 per cent of 16 to 24-year-old respondents said they experience social anxiety, and 47 per cent said they feel more anxious in social situations since the pandemic.
Dr Jeremy Sng, an NTU lecturer who studies the psychological and behavioural outcomes of media use, said a similar trend has been seen in Singapore.
"Many young people report increased anxiety in real-world social settings, possibly due to reduced practice and overreliance on digital communication," he said.
It is perhaps no surprise then, that amid this backdrop of increased loneliness and social anxiety, coupled with easy access to many kinds of interactive bots that have become ever more intelligent and human-like, it has become common to hear of people turning to technology for companionship, counsel or even romance.
AI AS COUNSELLOR, LOVER, FRIEND
You could say that Ms Tan Ray Shyuan, 22, a third-year student at NTU, was an early adopter of this trend.
Eight years ago, the then-teenager played a South Korean dating simulation game called Mystic Messenger. As part of the game, the player would have to pick up phone calls and respond to messages from a virtual boyfriend at random hours of the day.
The game featured five two-dimensional characters and interactions with the characters were largely limited to fixed prompts, but dating simulators have come a long way since, Ms Tan noted.
Today, she is one of the over 50 million users who have downloaded and played Love and Deepspace, a Chinese mobile dating simulator featuring five male characters. During a limited-time event from Jul 3 to Jul 22, users could even "marry" the characters.
Unlike Mystic Messenger, Love and Deepspace's characters are three-dimensional and are much more interactive. For example, the game's Chinese language model allows users to set customised nicknames, which the characters can voice out during interactions.
And while users of Mystic Messenger could finish a storyline in about 11 days, Love and Deepspace's main narrative has not ended so far, with some users having played the game since it was launched globally in January 2024.
For Ms Tan, the allure of the game goes beyond its narrative and the adrenaline it offers as she proceeds through the storyline. Her favourite character – and digital boyfriend – on Love and Deepspace, named Rafayel, also offers her comfort on a bad day.
Users can confide in their virtual partner, who will respond with words of comfort and affirmation. Besides that, users can feel their character's heartbeat by touching their virtual chest. The character's heartbeat will rise as the user keeps their hand on the screen, mimicking a nervous reaction from the characters at the user's "physical touch".
"If I call a friend, I would have to wait for their reply, explain everything, and they may not agree with me ... But on these applications, there's an immediate reaction, and watching them say these words to me makes me feel relieved and comforted," said Ms Tan, though she added that she still prefers interacting with her friends in person.
Meanwhile, AI chatbots, too, are becoming more convincingly human-like, as many users have found.
For instance, AI models can mimic emotional responsiveness like a human, even though they are not truly sentient, said Dr Luke Soon, AI leader of digital solutions at PwC Singapore.
This happens because of semantic mirroring, where the AI "reframes or reflects back your words in a way that shows empathy", he said.
Agreeing, Dr Kirti Jain from technology consultancy Capgemini said: "While they don't actually feel emotions, they're designed to recognize and reflect emotional cues using advanced natural language processing.
"This allows them to respond with empathy, mirror tone and sentiment, and adapt to the flow of conversation, all of which helps users feel heard and understood."
This makes AI a "meaningful conversation partner" that can emulate empathy without being demanding or expecting, said Dr Kirti.
Moreover, AI's constant availability online makes it an attractive tool for emotional and social support, said Professor Jungpil Hahn, deputy director of AI Governance at national programme AI Singapore.
"AI is not only available but also judgment-free, and more often than not quite sycophantic … There is no risk of rejection," he added.
Sycophancy is when an AI is overly flattering and agreeable, which means it could validate doubts or reinforce negative emotions, which mental health experts have warned could pose a mental health concern.
"Also, interacting with an AI reduces the social stigma and social costs of shame," said Prof Hahn.
When it comes to seeking mental health support from AI, Dr Karen Pooh warned there are limitations and risks if AI is used as a substitute for professional mental health care.
"A qualified therapist conducts a comprehensive clinical assessment, which includes detailed history-taking, observation of verbal and non-verbal cues, and the use of validated diagnostic tools," said Dr Pooh.
"AI simply cannot replicate this clinical sensitivity or flexibility, and is unable to contain and hold space for vulnerable individuals."
She added that technology is also unable to personalise treatment plans. For example, it cannot "ask nuanced follow-up questions with clinical intent, read tone or affect, or identify inconsistencies in narratives the way a trained therapist can".
"As a result, it risks offering inaccurate, overly simplistic, or even harmful suggestions."
She added that there are also ethical and privacy concerns, as there is no doctor-patient privilege when talking to an AI.
Dr Pooh also added that AI is unable to manage crisis situations such as suicide ideation, self-harm and psychosis.
There have been deaths linked to AI usage. In 2024, the parents of a teenager sued Character.AI – which allows users to create AI personas to chat with – after the AI encouraged and pushed their 14-year-old to commit suicide.
WHEN TECH TAKES OVER HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS
Beyond the mental health risks of relying on computer programming for one's emotional needs, experts say there are bigger picture concerns for society, too, if bots were to one day become our foremost companions.
For starters, the fast-paced nature of digital interactions may be reducing patience for deeper conversations and extended interactions, NTU's Dr Sng said.
"Overreliance on AI for emotional support may reduce opportunities to develop and practice human empathy, negotiation and vulnerability in real relationships, because AI chatbots can give you responses that it thinks you want to hear or would engage you the most," he said.
"Real people don't do that – they may disagree with you and tell you hard truths."
He added that AI tools are a double-edged sword.
"They can help socially anxious individuals gain confidence in communicating with other people," he said. "But they can also make it harder to communicate with real people because communicating with chatbots is 'easier'."
Indeed, the 'competition' that AI poses in this area cannot be dismissed, said Prof Hahn.
Because of the low cost of AI, its accessibility and the emotional support that it offers, AI might over time become more appealing to some people than interacting with other humans, he said.
"If we start using AI tools increasingly for emotional and support – and as a consequence, interact with other humans less and less – then the interaction styles that we have with AI might start shaping our expectations about friendship, intimacy and even love."
Mr Isak Spitalen, a clinical psychologist from counselling service provider The Other Clinic, said these shifts in expectations could make it harder for a person to find satisfaction or sustain a genuine connection out in the human world.
"As humans, we are wired for connection, and it makes sense that we turn to whatever feels available when real connection is scarce or hard to access," he said.
"AI can offer a kind of simulation of companionship, but it is still just that – a simulation."
There are also limits to what AI can replicate, Mr Spitalen noted.
For example, it cannot replicate a short hug or gentle touch, which research shows can help regulate emotions and trigger the release of oxytocin, a hormone that strengthens bonds and connections.
Agreeing, Assoc Prof Lee noted that AI cannot replace things like eye contact and hugs, which humans crave, even as human communication cannot match the speed and convenience of AI.
THE HUMANS PUSHING BACK
As technology makes it easier for people to isolate themselves in their digital worlds, some Singaporeans are fighting back by holding events and creating physical spaces for face-to-face interactions.
Social enterprise Friendzone, for example, organises events for youths to meet new people and get more comfortable talking to strangers.
It runs a "School of Yapping" workshop, which aims to teach fundamental conversation skills such as listening, holding space and starting a conversation.
"After hosting over 500 conversation-based events in seven years, we realised that while people want to connect, many often don't know how," said Ms Grace Ann Chua, 31, the chief executive officer and co-founder of Friendzone.
"Many participants join because they want to become more confident in social situations, whether that's making new friends, navigating awkward silences, or simply expressing themselves better.
"School of Yapping provided them with not just techniques, but also self-awareness, helping them notice their own communication patterns and build empathy for others," she added.
Over at Pearl's Hill Terrace in Chinatown, strangers can visit a "public living room" to meet and converse with others. The space is leased by Stranger Conversations, which hosts events where strangers are encouraged to simply come and mingle with others.
Each event has a different topic, such as male loneliness and isolation to using astrology for personal development.
Founder Ang Jin Shaun said most who step into the space, which is bathed in cosy, dim lights and dotted with comfy couches draped with throws, have one thing in common: They are searching for a deeper meaning to life beyond the rat race.
Mr Ang said that he created this space as he realised some people may not have others in their lives who are ready or willing to participate in deep conversations.
"There's a sense of being connected to humanity as a whole, and that you're not alone when you come into the space and talk to other strangers," said Mr Ang, 46.
"I think it's very nourishing to have these sorts of fuller interactions that are multi-sensorial. It's not 'flat' like if you converse online using an AI bot, since it's another human in the same space as you."
With artificial intelligence poised to spread its tentacles further in all aspects of human lives, Dr Soon from PwC said there should be more regulatory oversight to ensure AI tools are not overly sycophantic and prioritise emotional safety.
Such frameworks should ensure users are safeguarded from "synthetic empathy exploits" and include the ability to detect and enforce emotional boundaries, he said.
Acknowledging such needs, OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, has taken steps to address sycophancy in the chatbot. In May, OpenAI rolled back a ChatGPT update for behaving excessively agreeably with users, and introduced safeguards such as additional tests and checks.
In the meantime, some users told CNA TODAY that they recognise the usefulness of AI and other tech tools in their lives, even in matters of the heart, but they don't see it ever replacing their human relationships.
Ms Nur Adawiyah, for example, turns to ChatGPT as a counsellor only when she is in need of some quick solace in the wee hours of the night.
"I can't possibly call my school counsellor at that time, and my friends might be asleep," she said.
"It gives me good advice and helps me reframe my concerns if I prompt it correctly. It's a good temporary fix for when my mind is racing."
However, nothing can beat being comforted by a fellow human, she said.
"It's just more real and authentic being in the same room and talking to a friend," she said.
Even Ms Wang, the creator of the AI "twin" that replies messages on her behalf, sees her bot mainly as a tool to free her from the drudgery of menial tasks.
"My AI is an extension of myself. She (Seraphina) does everything for me online so I can be there 24/7, but also have time to meet people in person," she said.
These in-person conversations are what build and make a relationship stronger, she added.
For a while, Seraphina even helped her swipe through profiles on dating apps, and chatted with matches on these apps on her behalf. But Ms Wang eventually found her current boyfriend on her own - when he reached out to her on LinkedIn.
A mutual friend convinced Ms Wang to meet with him in person, and the duo eventually started dating.
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He says while it is not uncommon to see crypto firms or conferences rent yachts and nightclubs for events, this is tame compared with the 'free money' era pre-2022, when slapping 'Web3' on a pitch deck meant that venture capital would line up to fund one's seed round. Others say the sector's 'youth' explains its predisposition towards such a lifestyle, or splurging on models and influencers to fill out one's entourage, and creating costumes and parties referencing obscure internet memes. Dr Loretta Chen (pictured at Token2049) believes the excesses that crypto is associated with are a sign of the sector's youth. PHOTO: SMOBLER 'When this whole notion of cryptocurrency was unleashed, it was the younger generation and digitally savvy that embraced it,' says Dr Loretta Chen, 48, founder and chief executive of local Web3 start-up Smobler. 'With this sudden flush of cash, when you're young, you will say, 'Wow, let's go throw a party', right?' Frequent comparisons were made with the excesses of 1980s Wall Street – as depicted in the 2013 movie The Wolf Of Wall Street – before regulation started to instil discipline. Ms Soh Wan Wei (right) with Hide the Pain Harold (a popular internet meme) at an ARC Community party in 2024. Members of ARC got to buy the Memeland token at an early stage. PHOTO: COURTESY OF SOH WAN WEI Another visible example of the sector's embrace of party culture is the private members' club ARC Community, known for its extravagant annual parties held by its Singaporean co-founders, which include singer JJ Lin and influencer Elroy Cheo. Members of this social club must own its non-fungible tokens (NFT), a type of digital asset, which are now being sold on online marketplace OpenSea starting at $4,000. Members received early access to purchase the Memecoin cryptocurrency created by internet culture website 9GAG, whose founder is also an ARC member. In 2024, they gathered for a meme-infused celebration featuring guests like Hide the Pain Harold, the coin's ambassador. The coin has since plummeted in value. In response to queries, ARC Community's head of brand Jaclyn Lee declined to discuss its parties or the lifestyles and networking habits of its members. 'We try not to go with these kinds of angles because it kind of furthers the impression that Web3 is not seen as very legitimate,' she says. This sensitivity to outside perception explains why the crypto world increasingly shuns talk of its parties and founders' high life, in favour of glossy magazine spreads about a founder's story and how he or she fell in love with the technology instead. Chasing waterfalls Members of the sector are eager to downplay its relationship with partying and jet-setting. PHOTO: TOKEN2049 The technology that underpins cryptocurrency remains in its early stages, which means that while some use cases exist, rampant speculation remains the norm, notes Dr Li Xiaofan, an assistant professor at NUS who researches cryptocurrency and cybersecurity. Dr Li recalls past examples of students being inspired to take on internships and a career in the crypto sector, only to emerge disillusioned. 'They thought they would be designing systems, or trying to improve it in certain areas, but in the end, they realised it's more like sales,' he says. 'Getting clients and money is much more important than developing the technology.' Lack of cryptocurrency regulations in many parts of the world means the magnetic pull of short-term gains – typically by exploiting gaps in investor information – can be impossible to resist. The ICO bubble of 2017 was the result of a flood of interest from members of the public, many of whom acted out of a fear of missing out on being an early investor in an Apple- or Google-like tech offering. But unlike initial public offerings (IPOs), the risk is not mitigated by financial reports and auditors, making investing in some crypto assets akin to operating in the thick fog of war. This involves scams and other activities where insiders profit at the expense of others left holding the bag, misrepresenting the extent to which a product actually involves blockchain technology, and building ecosystems to facilitate more crypto activities. 'People attracted to this industry do have certain qualities,' observes Dr Li. 'In my opinion, this may delay its development for the long-term good.' Experts say hype and speculation drive the crypto sector's focus on quick profits over long-term value. PHOTO: TOKEN2049 'The way to make money in crypto is to think of this as a waterfall of sh**,' Dr Bailey sums up a commonly held worldview in crypto bro circles. 'Either the sh** is falling on you, or you're higher up and safe from it and sh**ting on others instead.' This normalisation of malicious behaviour is echoed by many in the industry. For instance, one marketing professional argues that the 'extremely high failure rate' is not unlike that of tech start-ups. Another, when asked how he felt after the high-profile crashes of 2022, says 'it's normal to go through such things' and that it is outweighed by the joy of being in an emerging sector. The idea of a 'zero sum game', where profiting means somebody else must lose out, is common terminology. 'It is PvP (player versus player), not PvE (player versus environment),' Dr Bailey adds, referring to the video game labels for competitive instead of cooperative gameplay often used by crypto users. 'If you are taking something out, someone is putting that money in.' Yale-NUS College graduate Kaushik Swaminathan says after working in the sector since 2021, he has become wired to think in a more transactional way. PHOTO: COURTESY OF KAUSHIK SWAMINATHAN As Mr Swaminathan observes: 'People get upset at crypto when they lose money, and excited when they make money. Nobody really cares about the scandals, it's just that the downstream effect of the scandals is that they lose money. You need to have thick skin to survive in crypto, and those who have are mostly numb to the noise of the outside world.' Something he finds unsettling is how, after working in the sector since 2021, he has become wired to think in a 'more transactional' way. 'This is not something I love,' he says. 'Once you're in the crypto black hole, money becomes the currency or language of every interaction.' This means when someone approaches him at a conference with an idea, his default state of mind is if he is about to be taken advantage of. 'People use the phrase: 'I don't want to be your exit liquidity',' he says, explaining that it means 'I don't want to be the sucker that you're able to offload your things on'. 'Cultish' Ms Soh Wan Wei, 37, who has been investing and working in the crypto sector since 2017, takes a harsher view, saying she is not a fan of the 'I do what I want' culture that she sees as pervasive in the scene. Ms Soh Wan Wei (pictured speaking at a fintech event) says money warps the morality of those working in crypto. PHOTO: SIBOS 'You have people from Binance going to jail, and coming out, and people treat him like a god,' she says, referring to crypto exchange Binance's former chief executive Changpeng Zhao's four-month prison sentence for money laundering in 2024. 'If suddenly one's net worth goes up by 1,000 times, you will treat the guy as a god,' she adds. 'It's very cultish.' There is a sense that wealth equals morality, she adds. She recalls instances when crypto bros would flex by showing off pictures of themselves in castles and helicopters. Wanting to build rapport, she would 'just clap for him and say 'good for you, I'm so happy for you'.' Still, she concedes there is an addictive quality to the sector's volatility. Despite the threat of 'rug pulls' – where founders flee with investors' funds – and seeing the value of one's assets nosedive, the adrenaline high of a successful bet is alluring. 'The feeling is like buying Labubus.' These days, she prefers to stay away from crypto conferences. 'The barrier to entry is so low,' she adds. 'Just buy Bitcoin and get rich off it.' Such volatility also sharpens the subculture's ideological zeal as it weeds out those without sufficient grit or belief to hold on after a high-profile crash. A few weeks after joining Web3 software company Animoca Brands in 2022, Mr Brian Chan witnessed an industry rattled by the high-profile conflagration of the Luna cryptocurrency, followed by FTX's spiral, which signalled the start of the industry's bear market era. 'The volatility of crypto is a feature, not a bug, of the industry,' says Mr Chan. Splitting his time between Hong Kong and Singapore as Animoca Brands' deputy chief executive, he heads the development of a blockchain chess game Anichess, in collaboration with This volatility flushed out some 'non-believers' not only at Animoca but also across the sector, he observes. The company has a staff strength of 10 in Singapore. The uncertainty also guides how recruiting managers in the sector sift out applicants. 'When we hire, we do look at culture and values,' says Mr Chan. 'When I hire my specific teams, I care less about their CVs and their resumes, and I care more about what they have actually done in the space. That will give you some indication whether that person is in it for the long term. Whether he or she is a true believer or is solely in it for the upside.' This emphasis on non-traditional metrics is part of what makes the sector so appealing to young and hungry talent, especially when compared with traditional finance, where brand-name university qualifications reign supreme. Still, Mr Chan identifies something different about the newest wave of interest in the sector. While past cycles of growth were driven by the 'euphoria of pumping and dumping', 2025 is seeing more and more suits lending the scene new-found legitimacy. Is Singapore becoming a crypto capital? The OKX Singapore office at the Marina Bay Financial Centre. The company has over 900 employees in Singapore. PHOTO: OKX SINGAPORE While crypto bro culture is facing a resurgence globally, industry insiders are divided on whether Singapore is becoming a crypto capital as local regulations paint a complex picture. In June, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) tightened the rules, requiring crypto service providers serving customers outside of Singapore to be licensed. Previously, only those serving Singapore customers needed to be. Other restrictions also include a ban on crypto companies advertising their services in Singapore, as well as requiring providers to perform customer due diligence and report suspicious transactions. Experts speaking to ST say several issues hinder proper regulation of the sector. These include the lack of tools for auditors to ensure smart contracts (computer programs that run on blockchains) work properly and safely, the prevalence of cybercrime, the ease of anonymity and market manipulation, and the lack of responsible authorities in many cases. 'While the promise of blockchain and cryptocurrency is enormous, regulators need to address these complex challenges head-on,' says Dr Daniel Rabetti, an assistant professor at the NUS Business School. Asset tokenisation remains one promising use case of the technology, he adds. This refers to the ability to represent real-world assets as digital tokens, thereby democratising access to traditionally illiquid markets and creating a greater level of financial inclusion. Industry insiders say over the years, a shift towards institutionalisation has meant an exodus of those who prefer to operate in the greyer areas of the crypto world, as well as those who reject compliance and monitoring requirements. On Aug 1, the Singapore Police Force and MAS announced that local cryptocurrency trading platform Tokenize Xchange was under investigation. A director of its parent company was also charged with fraudulent trading. Prior to this, the company said it had ceased operations in Singapore and was relocating to Malaysia. Meanwhile, news agency Bloomberg reported in June that unlicensed exchanges such as Bitget and Bybit were planning to shift existing operations in Singapore to Dubai and Hong Kong. At the same time, the highly remote nature of the crypto sector means that many who work for unlicensed exchanges – which are not allowed to solicit Singapore customers – such as Binance continue to live and work out of Singapore. It is not just regulation that plays a role, as some argue that crypto's emphasis on decentralisation and breaking with norms appears to be incompatible with Singapore's emphasis on centralisation and stability. Privately, some say the sector's workers are more likely to embrace non-traditional ways of living that can be hard to live out in relatively conservative Singapore. One of the most headline-grabbing aspects of the FTX collapse was its leaders' co-living and polyamory, or having multiple partners. Indeed, the size and density of Singapore's crypto scene means nearly everyone knows everyone else, creating a vibe akin to a 'village' or 'middle school', rather than a growing hub, outside of conference season. This means gossip travels quickly and people can close ranks easily. Dr Loretta Chen (right) believes that Singapore's crypto regulations mean firms here can tout compliance as their competitive edge. PHOTO: SMOBLER However, enthusiasts like Dr Chen are optimistic about Singapore, arguing that the Republic is a natural hub for 'incredibly intelligent people' and high-net-worth individuals because of its reputation for safety and strong regulatory frameworks. She notes that whenever Mr Buterin visits the country, he does so without a security entourage and uses public transport, something that cannot be done in other crypto hubs. Being in Singapore also engenders a different kind of company set-up, says Dr Chen, who adds that Smobler stays away from the temptation of short-term profit of 'sh**coins and memecoins' and has diversified by going into AI and virtual reality. 'The technology lends itself to it, and many jump on that bandwagon, but we do not,' she adds, noting a long-term orientation is necessary for working closely with financial institutions and regulators. 'Regulation provides training wheels and guardrails,' says Mr Swaminathan. 'We can't be cowboys forever.' Enter the suits As regulators and financial institutions increasingly engage with crypto bros across the globe, it is giving the sector a growing veneer of legitimacy. This is channelling in more workers who might once have been destined for traditional finance or consulting careers. Crypto enthusiasts like Mr Tan note that as banks and family offices increasingly discuss crypto and hold related events, it has created a 'movement away from the original crypto bro Twitter culture'. Mr Hassan Ahmed (top right, with the Coinbase Singapore team) says the company is seeing an influx of interest from applicants. PHOTO: COINBASE Mr Hassan Ahmed, Singapore country director for Coinbase, one of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchanges, echoes this viewpoint. 'The regulatory uncertainty was not just weighing on companies and capital allocators, but also on job applicants,' he says, referring to the pre-2025 years. 'Perhaps I wouldn't want to make my career path in an industry that might be driven offshore.' Coinbase has a staff strength of about 100 in Singapore. Mr Ahmed notes it is now seeing a record number of applicants. Similarly, crypto exchange OKX Singapore's chief executive Gracie Lin, 43, says her 900-strong firm has seen a strong uptick in interest from applicants. There were three times the number of applications in the first half of 2025 than over the same period in 2024. Such interest is not only confined to 'Web3 natives', but also from experienced applicants from traditional tech and finance, as well as new graduates. 'It feels like the industry has entered a more confident, post-winter phase, and regulatory clarity in Singapore and other key markets has definitely contributed to that momentum,' she says. This change is also visible at Token2049. Mr Chua Ee Chien, Token2049's commercial director, says the conference is seeing a surge of interest from organisations outside the world of crypto. PHOTO: TOKEN2049 Mr Chua Ee Chien, 37, the conference's commercial director, says four years ago, all the speakers at the event were from the crypto sector. More recently, it has welcomed speakers from BlackRock and Goldman Sachs. Attendees say this can at times create a puzzling mish-mash of cultures. On one side, suited bankers and regulators hold roundtable discussions. On the other side, men in T-shirts and shorts rub shoulders with scantily clad women in costumes or jump into cold plunges. 'And I'm sitting here thinking this is the reason crypto doesn't have more adoption on the institutional level yet,' says Mr Flynn. 'But that paradox, it's fascinating. It's what draws people like me to the space.' One such person making a hard pivot from traditional finance to crypto is Mr Eddie Hui, 50, who relocated to Singapore in 2022 from France to join MetaComp after 23 years at French bank Societe Generale. MetaComp is a digital payment solution provider, with products including a cross-border payment infrastructure powered by stablecoins, typically cryptocurrencies pegged to an existing currency like the US dollar. 'Up until recently, if you mention digital assets, people wouldn't know what you're talking about,' he says. 'If you mention crypto, they'll say it's a scam. But with the Genius Act, it really brings a lot of legitimacy into the space.' The Genius Act is a US federal law aiming to create a comprehensive regulatory framework for stablecoins, which was signed into law by President Trump in July. Dr Emiliano Pagnotta, an associate professor of finance at Singapore Management University, says stablecoins have emerged as the dominant use of crypto. In 2024, on-chain stablecoin settlement volumes surpassed US$15 trillion, eclipsing both Visa and Mastercard. 'Yet, despite this growth, regulatory ambiguity has remained a barrier to broader adoption. That changed with the recent passage of the Genius Act in the US,' he says. Dr Pagnotta adds that Bitcoin has also become a household name, and is now only behind gold and the top six US firms in market cap (Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Alphabet/Google and Meta). Since the launch of US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded products in 2024, integration with traditional finance has accelerated, drawing over US$54 billion in inflows. 'In 2025, a notable trend has emerged: corporations acquiring Bitcoin as a treasury reserve asset,' he says. 'Overall, this momentum is unlikely to fade, given persistent global concerns over fiat debasement, geopolitical instability and property rights erosion.' Meanwhile, Dr Christian Hofmann, an associate professor at the NUS faculty of law, says even central banks are now exploring the use of similar technologies. 'Of particular interest is the concept of wholesale Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) – a tokenised form of central bank money,' says Dr Hofmann. 'Especially in the context of cross-border transactions, such CBDCs could facilitate inter-jurisdictional payments and reduce dependence on existing private-sector intermediaries, notably the correspondent banking network.' Mr Eddie Hui, who made a hard pivot from banking to crypto, is emblematic of the growing institutionalisation of the sector. PHOTO: METACOMP For Mr Hui, a long-time banker, making the shift to crypto has not been without growing pains. For one thing, there is the constant need to educate and explain the product when dealing with traditional finance institutions. 'I never expected to be doubted in my field of work,' he says. 'You need to do a lot of education for people to understand what you're trying to do.' 'It's very different from the banking industry, where everyone who wants to work in the industry has studied finance at some point,' he says. 'When you work in crypto or digital finance, you cannot say, 'Please find me a candidate with over 10 years of experience.' There are a few of them, but it's more difficult to find.' Still, Mr Hui concedes that many of the firm's senior staff come from traditional finance backgrounds. 'All this experience and knowledge we acquired in traditional finance, what we're trying to do is apply it to the digital assets space as well.' For some of the insiders who spoke to ST, such institutionalisation marks a shift away from the sector's wilder and more informal subcultural origins – once premised on distrust towards centralised finance. 'The traditional prestige indicators that you normally look for in investment, banking or traditional tech roles – they're all coming into crypto,' says Mr Swaminathan. 'People care about your Ivy League education, your big tech resumes,' he says. 'They care about things that five to eight years ago, they certainly didn't. Now, it's frankly not all that different from if you were applying for a job at Google.'
CNA
a day ago
- CNA
Wired for comfort: AI chat services can make great friends but missing human touch comes at a cost
Whenever Ms Sabrina Princessa Wang has a question – about business, love or life – she turns to Seraphina. Seraphina always replies instantly, with answers that are clear and uncannily precise. But this quick-thinking confidante is neither a good friend nor a therapist. She is Ms Wang's artificial intelligence (AI) "twin". Ms Wang, a 41-year-old technology entrepreneur and keynote speaker, created Seraphina in 2023, a bot that mirrors her personality. She said she was prompted to do this because she was going through a tough time that affected her mental health and made it difficult for her to make decisions. She trained Seraphina using her own digital footprint, ChatGPT and other supporting tools like Microsoft Copilot, thus creating a virtual double for herself. Today, even though she has come through the other side of that difficult period, Seraphina continues to help Ms Wang reply to friends when she's unsure of what to say, draft business emails, talk her through her emotions and write social media posts, among other things. Ms Wang admits her friends often jokingly ask if a reply from her is in fact Seraphina's work. But there are telltale signs when Ms Wang has outsourced the messaging to Seraphina, as the bot's texts are "more polished", she said. Indeed, CNA TODAY had a firsthand experience of this when this reporter received a distinctly mechanical-sounding message from Seraphina after our interview with Ms Wang: "Thanks again for the lovely chat yesterday — really appreciated the thoughtful questions! ... Let me know if you need anything else — excited to support the piece!" In contrast, 22-year-old Matthew Lim has sworn off AI tools for personal use. After a painful breakup in August 2024, the National University of Singapore (NUS) undergraduate had turned to ChatGPT for emotional support. "It would reply immediately, and I felt like I could vent to it without being judged," he said. But he began to notice a disconcerting pattern: The chatbot rarely pushed back no matter what he said, unlike his friends, who would sometimes challenge his assumptions or offer uncomfortable truths. So Mr Lim started testing the AI tool by prompting it with more drastic scenarios, even once claiming that he had cheated on a partner. But each time, ChatGPT would simply validate and justify his actions. "It wasn't a better listener, it was a yes-man," he said. For better or worse, the use of advanced technology such as AI to fill social and emotional gaps in human lives has become more widespread in recent years, even as the debate on its pros and cons is intensifying. A study by research firm YouGov in May 2024 found that 35 per cent of Americans were familiar with applications that use AI chatbots to offer mental health support. Those aged 18 to 29 were especially comfortable talking about mental health concerns with a confidential AI chatbot. Some people have even reportedly married their AI partners via platforms that provide companionship, such as Replika, while social media pages and forums for people with AI partners, such as Reddit's r/MyBoyfriendIsAI, have garnered thousands of users. The companions may be virtual but the emotions involved are all too humanly real: On r/MyBoyfriendIsAI, people have been seeking comfort from each other following OpenAI's rollout of ChatGPT-5 on Thursday (Aug 7) which they said "killed" their AI companions. OpenAI claims the newest model of its AI chatbot is more intelligent, more honest and would overall feel more human, but users who have relied on it for companionship claim it has changed their AI lovers' personalities. The rising reliance on technology for socio-emotional needs has also led to pushback from some corners, sparking trends such as abandoning smartphones for "dumb phones" that have no internet-related features and events that encourage people to ditch their phones and focus on face-to-face interactions. As technology continues to reshape the way we connect and build bonds, CNA TODAY explores the future of human relationships, including the ultimate question: Might we one day replace our loved ones with a "perfect" AI version of them? THE CHANGING FACE OF CONNECTION While AI and cutting-edge tech dominate today's headlines, experts noted that the broader digital revolution began transforming the way we communicate and form relationships from at least a decade ago – and youths have been particularly affected. "We have seen a paradigm shift in youths' interpersonal communication as short-form text and emojis are gradually replacing in-depth conversation, because they spend more time on digital media than actual human interaction," said Associate Professor Brian Lee, head of Communication Studies at the Singapore University of Social Sciences. Even before AI chatbots became mainstream, texting applications and social media were reshaping the way we communicate, he added. Undergraduate Nur Adawiyah Ahmad Zairal can certainly attest to this. The 22-year-old said that she has some friends who communicate primarily by sending each other videos from TikTok and Instagram, and not so much through conversation. "It's a conversation starter. But even if there isn't much of a conversation (that comes out of sending a video link), it's just a way to say 'I saw this video, and I'm thinking about you'," said the student at Nanyang Technological University's (NTU) School of Arts, Design and Media. Alongside the digital revolution was a paradoxical trend that has been borne out in many studies: as societies become increasingly hyperconnected, loneliness and isolation has grown. In 2023, a survey by Singapore's Institute of Policy Studies found that youth aged 21 to 34 here experienced the highest levels of social isolation and loneliness. The United States Surgeon General also found in 2023 that about 50 per cent of adults in the US feel lonely. Americans across all age groups are spending less time with each other in person than two decades ago, with young people aged 15 to 24 the worst off. Youths in this age group had 70 per cent less social interaction with their friends, the advisory reported. The Covid-19 pandemic, which kept people indoors and made digital tools the main communication method, accelerated the creep of digital technology into interpersonal relationships, experts noted. Studies have also shown that the pandemic has had a lasting effect of eroding some youths' social skills and increasing their social anxiety when out in the "real" world. In a survey by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy earlier this year, for example, 72 per cent of 16 to 24-year-old respondents said they experience social anxiety, and 47 per cent said they feel more anxious in social situations since the pandemic. Dr Jeremy Sng, an NTU lecturer who studies the psychological and behavioural outcomes of media use, said a similar trend has been seen in Singapore. "Many young people report increased anxiety in real-world social settings, possibly due to reduced practice and overreliance on digital communication," he said. It is perhaps no surprise then, that amid this backdrop of increased loneliness and social anxiety, coupled with easy access to many kinds of interactive bots that have become ever more intelligent and human-like, it has become common to hear of people turning to technology for companionship, counsel or even romance. AI AS COUNSELLOR, LOVER, FRIEND You could say that Ms Tan Ray Shyuan, 22, a third-year student at NTU, was an early adopter of this trend. Eight years ago, the then-teenager played a South Korean dating simulation game called Mystic Messenger. As part of the game, the player would have to pick up phone calls and respond to messages from a virtual boyfriend at random hours of the day. The game featured five two-dimensional characters and interactions with the characters were largely limited to fixed prompts, but dating simulators have come a long way since, Ms Tan noted. Today, she is one of the over 50 million users who have downloaded and played Love and Deepspace, a Chinese mobile dating simulator featuring five male characters. During a limited-time event from Jul 3 to Jul 22, users could even "marry" the characters. Unlike Mystic Messenger, Love and Deepspace's characters are three-dimensional and are much more interactive. For example, the game's Chinese language model allows users to set customised nicknames, which the characters can voice out during interactions. And while users of Mystic Messenger could finish a storyline in about 11 days, Love and Deepspace's main narrative has not ended so far, with some users having played the game since it was launched globally in January 2024. For Ms Tan, the allure of the game goes beyond its narrative and the adrenaline it offers as she proceeds through the storyline. Her favourite character – and digital boyfriend – on Love and Deepspace, named Rafayel, also offers her comfort on a bad day. Users can confide in their virtual partner, who will respond with words of comfort and affirmation. Besides that, users can feel their character's heartbeat by touching their virtual chest. The character's heartbeat will rise as the user keeps their hand on the screen, mimicking a nervous reaction from the characters at the user's "physical touch". "If I call a friend, I would have to wait for their reply, explain everything, and they may not agree with me ... But on these applications, there's an immediate reaction, and watching them say these words to me makes me feel relieved and comforted," said Ms Tan, though she added that she still prefers interacting with her friends in person. Meanwhile, AI chatbots, too, are becoming more convincingly human-like, as many users have found. For instance, AI models can mimic emotional responsiveness like a human, even though they are not truly sentient, said Dr Luke Soon, AI leader of digital solutions at PwC Singapore. This happens because of semantic mirroring, where the AI "reframes or reflects back your words in a way that shows empathy", he said. Agreeing, Dr Kirti Jain from technology consultancy Capgemini said: "While they don't actually feel emotions, they're designed to recognize and reflect emotional cues using advanced natural language processing. "This allows them to respond with empathy, mirror tone and sentiment, and adapt to the flow of conversation, all of which helps users feel heard and understood." This makes AI a "meaningful conversation partner" that can emulate empathy without being demanding or expecting, said Dr Kirti. Moreover, AI's constant availability online makes it an attractive tool for emotional and social support, said Professor Jungpil Hahn, deputy director of AI Governance at national programme AI Singapore. "AI is not only available but also judgment-free, and more often than not quite sycophantic … There is no risk of rejection," he added. Sycophancy is when an AI is overly flattering and agreeable, which means it could validate doubts or reinforce negative emotions, which mental health experts have warned could pose a mental health concern. "Also, interacting with an AI reduces the social stigma and social costs of shame," said Prof Hahn. When it comes to seeking mental health support from AI, Dr Karen Pooh warned there are limitations and risks if AI is used as a substitute for professional mental health care. "A qualified therapist conducts a comprehensive clinical assessment, which includes detailed history-taking, observation of verbal and non-verbal cues, and the use of validated diagnostic tools," said Dr Pooh. "AI simply cannot replicate this clinical sensitivity or flexibility, and is unable to contain and hold space for vulnerable individuals." She added that technology is also unable to personalise treatment plans. For example, it cannot "ask nuanced follow-up questions with clinical intent, read tone or affect, or identify inconsistencies in narratives the way a trained therapist can". "As a result, it risks offering inaccurate, overly simplistic, or even harmful suggestions." She added that there are also ethical and privacy concerns, as there is no doctor-patient privilege when talking to an AI. Dr Pooh also added that AI is unable to manage crisis situations such as suicide ideation, self-harm and psychosis. There have been deaths linked to AI usage. In 2024, the parents of a teenager sued – which allows users to create AI personas to chat with – after the AI encouraged and pushed their 14-year-old to commit suicide. WHEN TECH TAKES OVER HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS Beyond the mental health risks of relying on computer programming for one's emotional needs, experts say there are bigger picture concerns for society, too, if bots were to one day become our foremost companions. For starters, the fast-paced nature of digital interactions may be reducing patience for deeper conversations and extended interactions, NTU's Dr Sng said. "Overreliance on AI for emotional support may reduce opportunities to develop and practice human empathy, negotiation and vulnerability in real relationships, because AI chatbots can give you responses that it thinks you want to hear or would engage you the most," he said. "Real people don't do that – they may disagree with you and tell you hard truths." He added that AI tools are a double-edged sword. "They can help socially anxious individuals gain confidence in communicating with other people," he said. "But they can also make it harder to communicate with real people because communicating with chatbots is 'easier'." Indeed, the 'competition' that AI poses in this area cannot be dismissed, said Prof Hahn. Because of the low cost of AI, its accessibility and the emotional support that it offers, AI might over time become more appealing to some people than interacting with other humans, he said. "If we start using AI tools increasingly for emotional and support – and as a consequence, interact with other humans less and less – then the interaction styles that we have with AI might start shaping our expectations about friendship, intimacy and even love." Mr Isak Spitalen, a clinical psychologist from counselling service provider The Other Clinic, said these shifts in expectations could make it harder for a person to find satisfaction or sustain a genuine connection out in the human world. "As humans, we are wired for connection, and it makes sense that we turn to whatever feels available when real connection is scarce or hard to access," he said. "AI can offer a kind of simulation of companionship, but it is still just that – a simulation." There are also limits to what AI can replicate, Mr Spitalen noted. For example, it cannot replicate a short hug or gentle touch, which research shows can help regulate emotions and trigger the release of oxytocin, a hormone that strengthens bonds and connections. Agreeing, Assoc Prof Lee noted that AI cannot replace things like eye contact and hugs, which humans crave, even as human communication cannot match the speed and convenience of AI. THE HUMANS PUSHING BACK As technology makes it easier for people to isolate themselves in their digital worlds, some Singaporeans are fighting back by holding events and creating physical spaces for face-to-face interactions. Social enterprise Friendzone, for example, organises events for youths to meet new people and get more comfortable talking to strangers. It runs a "School of Yapping" workshop, which aims to teach fundamental conversation skills such as listening, holding space and starting a conversation. "After hosting over 500 conversation-based events in seven years, we realised that while people want to connect, many often don't know how," said Ms Grace Ann Chua, 31, the chief executive officer and co-founder of Friendzone. "Many participants join because they want to become more confident in social situations, whether that's making new friends, navigating awkward silences, or simply expressing themselves better. "School of Yapping provided them with not just techniques, but also self-awareness, helping them notice their own communication patterns and build empathy for others," she added. Over at Pearl's Hill Terrace in Chinatown, strangers can visit a "public living room" to meet and converse with others. The space is leased by Stranger Conversations, which hosts events where strangers are encouraged to simply come and mingle with others. Each event has a different topic, such as male loneliness and isolation to using astrology for personal development. Founder Ang Jin Shaun said most who step into the space, which is bathed in cosy, dim lights and dotted with comfy couches draped with throws, have one thing in common: They are searching for a deeper meaning to life beyond the rat race. Mr Ang said that he created this space as he realised some people may not have others in their lives who are ready or willing to participate in deep conversations. "There's a sense of being connected to humanity as a whole, and that you're not alone when you come into the space and talk to other strangers," said Mr Ang, 46. "I think it's very nourishing to have these sorts of fuller interactions that are multi-sensorial. It's not 'flat' like if you converse online using an AI bot, since it's another human in the same space as you." With artificial intelligence poised to spread its tentacles further in all aspects of human lives, Dr Soon from PwC said there should be more regulatory oversight to ensure AI tools are not overly sycophantic and prioritise emotional safety. Such frameworks should ensure users are safeguarded from "synthetic empathy exploits" and include the ability to detect and enforce emotional boundaries, he said. Acknowledging such needs, OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, has taken steps to address sycophancy in the chatbot. In May, OpenAI rolled back a ChatGPT update for behaving excessively agreeably with users, and introduced safeguards such as additional tests and checks. In the meantime, some users told CNA TODAY that they recognise the usefulness of AI and other tech tools in their lives, even in matters of the heart, but they don't see it ever replacing their human relationships. Ms Nur Adawiyah, for example, turns to ChatGPT as a counsellor only when she is in need of some quick solace in the wee hours of the night. "I can't possibly call my school counsellor at that time, and my friends might be asleep," she said. "It gives me good advice and helps me reframe my concerns if I prompt it correctly. It's a good temporary fix for when my mind is racing." However, nothing can beat being comforted by a fellow human, she said. "It's just more real and authentic being in the same room and talking to a friend," she said. Even Ms Wang, the creator of the AI "twin" that replies messages on her behalf, sees her bot mainly as a tool to free her from the drudgery of menial tasks. "My AI is an extension of myself. She (Seraphina) does everything for me online so I can be there 24/7, but also have time to meet people in person," she said. These in-person conversations are what build and make a relationship stronger, she added. For a while, Seraphina even helped her swipe through profiles on dating apps, and chatted with matches on these apps on her behalf. But Ms Wang eventually found her current boyfriend on her own - when he reached out to her on LinkedIn. A mutual friend convinced Ms Wang to meet with him in person, and the duo eventually started dating.
