Latest news with #PewCenter
Scroll.in
3 days ago
- Scroll.in
Aristotle would scoff at Mark Zuckerberg's suggestion that AI can solve the loneliness epidemic
Mark Zuckerberg recently suggested that AI chatbots could combat social isolation by serving as 'friends' for people experiencing loneliness. He cited statistics that the average American has fewer than three friends but yearns for as many as 15. He was close: According to a 2021 report from the Survey Center on American Life, about half of Americans have fewer than four close friends. Zuckerberg then posited that AI could help bridge this gap by providing constant, personalized interactions. 'I would guess that over time we will find the vocabulary as a society to be able to articulate why that is valuable,' he added. Zuckerberg explaining how Meta is creating personalized AI friends to supplement your real ones: 'The average American has 3 friends, but has demand for 15.' — Roman Helmet Guy (@romanhelmetguy) April 30, 2025 Loneliness and social disconnection are serious problems. But can AI really be a solution? Might relying on AI for emotional support create a false sense of connection and possibly exacerbate feelings of isolation? And while AI can simulate certain aspects of companionship, doesn't it lack the depth, empathy and mutual understanding inherent to human friendship? Researchers have started exploring these questions. But as a moral philosopher, I think it's worth turning to a different source: the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. Though it might seem odd to consult someone who lived over 2,000 years ago on questions of modern technology, Aristotle offers enduring insights about friendships – and which ones are particularly valuable. More important than spouses, kids or money In his philosophical text Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle maintained that true friendship is essential for 'eudaimonia,' a Greek word that is typically translated as 'flourishing' or 'well-being.' For Aristotle, friends are not just nice to have – they're a central component of ethical living and essential for human happiness and fulfillment. 'Without friends, no one would choose to live,' he writes, 'though he had all other goods.' A solitary existence, even one of contemplation and intellectual achievement, is less complete than a life with friends. Friendship contributes to happiness by providing emotional support and solidarity. It is through friendship that individuals can cultivate their virtues, feel a sense of security and share their accomplishments. Empirical evidence seems to support the connection between friendship and eudaimonia. A 2023 Pew Center research report found that 61 per cent of adults in the US say having close friends is essential to living a fulfilling life – a higher proportion than those who cited marriage, children or money. A British study of 6,500 adults found that those who had regular interactions with a wide circle of friends were more likely to have better mental health and be happier. And a meta-analysis of nearly 150 studies found that a lack of close friends can increase the risk of death as much as smoking, drinking or obesity. Different friends for different needs But the benefit of friendship that Aristotle focuses on the most is the role that it plays in the development of virtue. The first tier is what he calls 'friendships of utility,' or a friendship that is based on mutual benefit. Each party is primarily concerned with what they can gain from the other. These might be colleagues at work or neighbours who look after each other's pets when one of them is on vacation. The problem with these friendships is that they are often fleeting and dissolve once one person stops benefiting from the relationship. The second is 'friendships of pleasure,' which are friendships based on shared interests. These friendships can also be transient, depending on how long the shared interests last. Passionate love affairs, people belonging to the same book club and fishing buddies all fall into this category. This type of friendship is important, since you tend to enjoy your passions more when you can share them with another person. But this is still not the highest form of friendship. According to Aristotle, the third and strongest form of friendship is a 'virtuous friendship.' This is based on mutual respect for each other's virtues and character. Two people with this form of friendship value each other for who they truly are and share a deep commitment to the well-being and moral development of one another. These friendships are stable and enduring. In a virtuous friendship, each individual helps the other become better versions of themselves through encouragement, moral guidance and support. As Aristotle writes: 'Perfect friendship is the friendship of men who are good and alike in virtue. … Now those who wish well to their friends for their sake are most truly friends; for they do this by reason of their own nature and not incidentally; therefore their friendship lasts as long as they are good – and goodness is an enduring thing.' In other words, friendships rooted in virtue not only bring happiness and fulfilment but also facilitate personal growth and moral development. And it happens naturally within the context of the relationship. According to Aristotle, a virtuous friend provides a mirror in which one can reflect upon their own actions, thoughts and decisions. When one friend demonstrates honesty, generosity or compassion, the other can learn from these actions and be inspired to cultivate these virtues in themselves. No nourishment for the soul So, what does this mean for AI friends? By Aristotle's standards, AI chatbots – however sophisticated – cannot be true friends. They may be able to provide information that helps you at work, or engage in lighthearted conversation about your various interests. But they fundamentally lack qualities that define a virtuous friendship. AI is incapable of mutual concern or genuine reciprocity. While it can be programmed to simulate empathy or encouragement, it does not truly care about the individual – nor does it ask anything of its human users. Moreover, AI cannot engage in the shared pursuit of the good life. Aristotle's notion of friendship involves a shared journey on the path to eudaimonia, during which each person helps another live wisely and well. This requires the kind of moral development that only human beings, who face real ethical challenges and make real decisions, can undergo. I think it is best to think of AI as a tool. Just like having a good shovel or rake can improve your quality of life, having the rake and the shovel do not mean you no longer need any friends – nor do they replace the friends whose shovels and rakes you used to borrow. While AI may offer companionship in a limited and functional sense, it cannot meet the Aristotelian criteria for virtuous friendship. It may fill a temporary social void, but it cannot nourish the soul. If anything, the rise of AI companions should serve as a reminder of the urgent need to foster real friendships in an increasingly disconnected world.
Forbes
28-03-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Cybersecurity Remains A Key Obstacle To Crypto Adoption
Cybersecurity remains an obstacle to wider crypto adoption Even as regulators, major financial institutions, and investors of all sizes continue to pivot and move toward embracing cryptoassets and crypto payments there is a major obstacle to wider adoption that has yet to be effectively addressed; cybersecurity concerns. While it is true that every application contains within it some level of cybersecurity risk – including that of loss – crypto and other on-chain assets remain uniquely exposed to these factors, at least as far as public opinion is concerned. According to research by the Pew Center 63% of survey respondents indicates that they do not think cryptocurrenices are safe to use, which continues to be reflected in the percentage of surveyed adults that use crypto for transactional purposes. The 17% of respondents that report having used crypto for transactional purposes has remained unchanged since 2021, even as almost every aspect of the cryptoasset landscape has continued to expand and further mature. Cyber risks are clearly not the only reason behind these statistics as volatility, headline risks, and political tensions all contribute to the opinions of investors with regards to crypto, but it is not one that can be ignored. With powerful regulators such as the OCC and FDIC issuing pronouncements and policies that will make it simpler, cheaper, and easier for TradFi institutions to get into crypto, effective cyber policies to protect these assets will become more important going forward. Let's take a look at a few things that investors – of all sizes – should keep in mind. The banking and payment industries are among the most highly regulated and supervised markets in the world, and the obvious reason for this is that in order to maintain confidence in the banking system – and markets at large – the trust in these operations must be absolute. Following years of patchwork enforcement efforts, including an anti-crypto regime at the SEC, there finally seems to be progress on effective, common-sense, and actionable regulation for crypto payments. The European Union has enacted the MiCA regulation, which while not a perfect regulatory framework does at least provide a starting point for entrepreneurs and regulators to work from. In the United States there are multiple bills that have been introduced, with the STABLE Act receiving committee approval to move forward for subsequent votes. By mandating audits, compliance practices on par with existing TradFi policies, and requiring communications related to any issues in real-time as they arise, the regulators and industry are taking proactive steps to establish much-needed frameworks for operation. That said, at the individual firm level, the executive team must adopt a proactive approach and not wait for legislation to eventually make its way to market; demand is already here, investors and customers expect firms to adapt, but management must ensure any such adoption is done in a well-though-out manner. Even as the boundaries between the crypto and TradFi sectors continue to blur the specifics as to how on-chain assets operate are substantially different from existing payment rails. Cryptoassets, even those that are built and designed with a dollar-peg and intended to be used in the same manner as dollars, require different controls and policy protections versus other payment options. These differences include, but are not limited to, the following. Wallet management is something that should be discussed at every level of the control and payment process including whether or not the firm in question wishes to engage in self-custody practices, utilize a third-party service provider, and how to implement a multi-signature or multi-party computation wallet. Pros and cons exist for all options and need to be evaluated based on the needs and technical expertise of the individuals at the firm. Private key management is also something that should be highlighted if and when crypto payments are integrated within Treasury operations, and this conversation should include a discussion of hot wallets, cold storage, and whether or not the private keys are to be stored at a third-party institution. Last but not least the control measures should also be modified within the firm to ensure that the existing infrastructure and administrative rights/access are updated to reflect the changes made to implement tokenized payments. Investors and management professionals would be well advised to understand that just because a token or asset is purported to have lower volatility when compared to other cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin or ether does not mean these tokens are lower risk. While the headline risk and volatility are well connected to cryptocurrencies that can overshadow the legitimate risks that accompany cryptoassets such as stablecoins. Just because a specific cryptoasset in question does not experience levels of volatility or dramatic trading volume does not mean the asset itself is lower in risk. When combined with the increased interest and appetite surrounding cryptoassets the entry of new firms into the cryptoasset sector creates an almost irresistible combination for hackers and other unethical actors. The recent ByBit hack is an example of how sophisticated hackers can take advantage of internal control issues via supply chain partners, even if the internal controls at the firm in question have been updated. Stablecoins are worth a combined hundreds of billions in market capitalization, are able to be transferred instantaneously, and can be redeemed or off-ramped to fiat currencies on an on-demand basis. Cybersecurity is an imperative for all organizations, and the increased adoption of cryptoassets is set to accelerate these conversations moving forward.
