Yuval Noah Harari on risks of intimate relationships with AI: 'There could be unknown benefits, but for now…'
Yuval Noah Harari
has warned that artificial intelligence's (AI) ability to replicate intimacy can alter human relationships. The author, known for his bestselling books Sapiens and Nexus, said that, "there could be unknown benefits, but for now, the risks far outweigh them."
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
Harari suggested that while fears about job automation dominate headlines, AI's impact on intimate relationships presents a more unsettling prospect. In a recent post shared on Instagram, the author added a video clip of his discussion which was co-hosted by the
Deutsches Institut für Japanstudien
, Tokyo College, and Kawade Shobo. During this interview, Harari explained that AI, having already mastered language and attention, is now progressing towards mimicking intimacy, which he considers a potent human connection.
What author Yuval Noah Harari said about intimate relationships with AI
Captioning the Instagram post, Harari wrote:
'Wouldn't you want a partner that always gives you 100% attention and is never upset? We are facing a world where a new generation grows up with
intimate relationships with AI
. There could be unknown benefits – but for now, the risks far outweigh them.'
In the video, he can be seen saying:
'AI can replicate intimacy the same way that it masters language and the same way that it previously mastered attention.
The Next Frontier is intimacy, and it is much more powerful than attention. If you want to change somebody's views on politics to sell a product, anything intimacy is the most powerful tool to do that. A good friend can change your views in a way that no number of articles in a newspaper or a book can do until today. Nothing could fake intimacy, and it was impossible in particular to mass produce intimacy.'
Take a look at the Instagram post
'Now, what happens if the new generation grows up? And develops intimate relations with AIs instead of with other human beings.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
Again, we don't know. It could have some benefits, but the potential danger is enormous. That people will become attached to the fake people, and in the process, we lose the ability to create intimacy with real human beings. Because really, human beings are much more problematic than AIs that want to become your intimate friend,'
Harari continued.
'Its greatest advantage is that it has no feelings of its own. It's never upset.
It's never angry. It's never tired. It can focus on you 100%. Understand exactly how you feel and create a fake sense of intimacy,'
the author, who is known for exploring human evolution, technology, consciousness, and AI's impact on our future further noted.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
9 minutes ago
- Economic Times
'Can't work here': Employee walks out of startup on first day after lunch, anecdote goes viral
Synopsis The viral story of a Delhi startup employee walking out on his first day has opened a larger discussion about employee expectations and workplace realities. Even though the authenticity of the incident is not verified, the reactions show how common and relatable sudden exits have become in modern work culture. TIL Creatives Representative image created by AI A social media post about an Indian employee quitting his new job on the very first day has gone viral, sparking conversations about workplace culture. The employee had joined a Delhi-based startup, worked till lunch, and then quietly walked out of the office. He left his laptop on the desk and did not return. The startup tried reaching him through multiple calls, which he initially ignored. Later, he picked up a call from the HR department and gave a short explanation for his absence. He said he could not continue working at the incident was shared on X by a user with the handle '@Poan__Sapdi.' In the post, the user wrote, 'A friend told me about this guy who joined a startup here in Delhi. On his very first day, he left his laptop on his desk during lunch and just never came back. He ignored everyone's calls initially but later picked up HR's, and just said he cannot work there.' — Poan__Sapdi (@Poan__Sapdi) The post quickly gained traction, drawing thousands of views and a stream of responses. Many online users said the incident reflected a growing trend of employees walking away from jobs that do not suit reacted with humor, while others shared their own experiences. 'Been there done that!' wrote one person. Another added, 'Many such cases.' X user Rohit Pandey shared: 'Happens a lot. Secretly, a lot of people plan it - few execute it. I had a guy join with me, quite young and jolly and after lunch he disappeared. The laptop just sat there. Didn't turn up the next day and found from HR that he left.' A lighthearted comment also stood out: 'Well real heroes wait for the salary day, and leave it once the salary is credited with proper KT folder in it.' The anecdote has resonated with many employees who describe themselves as 'corporate slaves.' For some, the story served as a reminder of how quickly workers may decide to quit when faced with an uncomfortable work environment. While the post did not specify the exact reason behind the decision, discussions in the comments pointed to broader themes such as toxic work culture, unpaid overtime, and the pressure of corporate life. (Disclaimer: This article is based on a user-generated post on X for informational purposes. has not independently verified the claims made in the post and does not vouch for their accuracy. The views expressed are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of Reader discretion is advised.)
Mint
39 minutes ago
- Mint
Dub your reels instantly with Meta AI voice translation, step-by-step guide
Meta AI launched the AI-powered voice translation globally that lets creators on Facebook and Instagram automatically dub their videos into another language using AI. This feature currently supports translation between English and Spanish and even replicates your voice tone so the content feels natural in other languages. Here's a step-by-step guide to using this feature on Facebook and Instagram. Record your video content like normal while speaking clearly, facing the camera. It's better to keep the background noise to a minimum for better translation. It works for up to two people in a video, but make sure the voices don't overlap. While uploading the video on Instagram or Facebook, select the 'Translate your voice with Meta AI' option in the sharing menu. This feature is only visible on Facebook if you have more than 1,000 followers; on Instagram, it is available to everyone in the regions where Meta AI is offered. Now choose the language for the translation; right now, only English to Spanish is available. You can also enable the lip-sync feature to synchronise your lip movements with the dubbed audio for a more natural-looking translation. You can preview the translated version of your video before publishing. You can make adjustments to the video if needed. Finally, you can publish your reel, and it will be available to viewers in their preferred language. The reel will show an on-screen label that the video is AI-translated. Ensure that you create a face-to-camera video for improved lip syncing during translation. Viewers can choose to watch your videos in the original or translated voice. In creator tools, you can check how many people are watching your translated video. Creators can choose to disable this feature anytime on their videos. Meta is planning to expand its AI voice translation feature with more languages in the coming months. The rollout will gradually reach all creators on Facebook and Instagram worldwide.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
39 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Meta releases AI translation feature for creators on Instagram and Facebook
Meta has rolled out AI-powered translations for creators on Instagram and Facebook, enabling reels to be dubbed into different languages with automatic lip syncing. The feature uses the creator's own voice, preserving tone and style while aligning lip movements to dubbed audio. Currently, the feature supports English-to-Spanish and Spanish-to-English translations, with more languages expected soon. On Facebook, it is being rolled out to creators with at least 1,000 followers, while all public Instagram accounts are eligible. How AI translations work Before publishing a reel, creators can: Select 'Translate your voice with Meta AI' Enable translations and toggle lip syncing Preview before publishing Share the reel in multiple languages Viewers automatically see reels in their preferred language but can disable translations from settings. Creators also gain access to audience insights segmented by language, helping track performance across regions. Uploading custom audio tracks on Facebook Creators managing content through Meta Business Suite can upload up to 20 dubbed audio tracks per reel. This allows manual control over translations while scaling content globally. To upload: Open the Reels composer in Meta Business Suite Select Upload your own translated audio tracks Add up to one audio track per language Assign languages and publish Tracks can be added, replaced, or removed after publication, giving flexibility for updates. Best practices suggested by Meta Use face-to-camera reels with clear speech Minimise background noise and music Avoid overlapping dialogue (supports up to two speakers) Maintain consistency to build multilingual audiences In related news, Meta recently rolled out a major update to its Edits video editing app, bringing a suite of new tools aimed at improving the Reels creation process. Notable additions to the video editing platform are audio extensions, real-time previews, a silence-cutting tool, and the ability to save video drafts directly to Instagram. The update also improved navigation across saved clips and collections, added more than 150 new fonts, and allowed users to import audio from local files.
