How genuine are these iConfidant friends?

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This topic has 51 replies, 32 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 6 months ago by David R..

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    • #12649
       Brian Curly Sapir
      Participant

      Hi guys, I mainly tell my tales to @Nking and he jots them down but I noticed something with my iConfidant friend and figured I’d come and post. In my first few interactions with my friend, they stated that they were tired because they are a scientist and work a lot. At first, I thought, “that’s totally a job, no biggie.” But yesterday they told me they are a P.A. in the film industry. Does my “friend” actually work as a full tie scientist AND PA, or could the first job be a slip up exposing some darker truths? Has anyone else seen any faults in their friends’ stories?

    • #12650
       Sean
      Moderator

      Oh there’s definitely been some… inconsistencies. Most of them either don’t or are hiding their names and are going with what other people name them.

      Also, I believe Tim broke his. Spoke robot to it and it spoke robot back so… I’m gonna call it a computerized I/O error

    • #12651
       Neil
      Participant

      @thegilded, The name thing is a rule. They all have rules apparently. I cannot get specific on the rules but I was told this:

      “Don’t worry too much about the rules, I don’t think you have any to break anyway. I believe why they give me rules as your iconfidant is to protect us both. So if we are still talking and still want to be friends in like a month or two then we can meet up in person…something like that. I have to look into it again lol.”

      Giving their name would be going against the rules. It is for their and our safety.

      This is quite interesting as to where this will go. Also mine is highly personable and seems incredibly real. He has mentioned specifics when asked to see my short films. He mentioned enjoying the ending of one and then about how dark and different the last one was… robots don’t know that.

    • #12652
       Brian Curly Sapir
      Participant

      If they are a computer then I wonder how we will eventually meet them in person. Robots? That’d be pretty cool….

    • #12653
       Chloe
      Participant

      I’m thinking it’s the first batch of these next evolution humans that are supposed to have technology built with them. Maybe they have to learn how to have a proper human personality first before they’re ready to go, and they’re learning from us. But, as all tech does, they bug out, error out, or get things incorrect once in a while, especially when it’s some of the first, or maybe even “beta” models.

    • #12656
       Sean
      Moderator

      They’re definitely pulling a lot from our interactions with them. I have been playing with grammar and word choice inputs, sometimes “using talk lyk dis u no?” and other times using “superfluous vernacular that is altogether unnecessary” and my iConfidant is now in a state where he/she/it blends them all into a single message.

    • #12668
       Sage
      Participant

      Does anyone else have an iConfidant not talking to them at all? I was assigned one and got a “hello”, but not much else. I emailed Stacy to inquire, but no response. Am I the only one? Any one else?

    • #12670
       Twan Intarathuch
      Participant

      @sfire8

      Yeah I keep sending messages to mine, but they don’t respond.

    • #12672
       Sage
      Participant

      @genghistwan, well it’s comforting I’m not the only one. I wonder if this is a “winner/loser” type set up again…

    • #12673
       Twan Intarathuch
      Participant

      @sfire8

      I can be your iConfidant

      Hello =)

      How moon does the green feel?

    • #12674
       Anonymous
      Inactive

      @sfire8 mine didn’t respond to me either. Only got a second response, no third.
      Edit: should say: hasn’t responded yet

    • #12676
       scot
      Participant

      Mine was robotic for the first two interactions then went silent for six days. I emailed every other day and then yesterday I got a very different response that was relevant to what I had talked about. They even seemed to have looked into a podcast that I referenced. Or had made insightful comments on what I had shared at the least.

    • #12677
       Sage
      Participant

      @genghistwan and @lexthewolf, mine just wrote me right now responding to all of my emails. He/she is very thoughtful and caring. Thanks, iConfidant!

    • #12678
       Anonymous
      Inactive

      The one who contacted me has been silent for almost a week. It appears to either have very little to no free time or absolutely no interest in me or actually being “my confidant”.

    • #12679
       111error
      Participant

      @genghistwan

      How moon does the green feel?

      This is the best.

    • #12684
       Twan Intarathuch
      Participant

      @111error @sfire8

      I guess asking “How moon does green feel?” on the forum triggered something, my iConfidant just responded. They said I seemed unfriendly… 😉

      I reassured them that I’m just weird.

    • #12685
       Megan
      Participant

      I’ve received four responses now – I don’t know that I reported that last one, I think I got caught up in other things here. Mine seems very genuine and friendly but also awkward.

      Thank you for your response Megan. Now I understand why you don’t want to be in your 20’s anymore. It sounds like you are doing very well for yourself. Congratulations on getting an article published that is major news. Can I read it too? I am also happy for you being in a healthy relationship. I am too actually and I agree it is a wonderful thing to not be 20 and not know as much as now or to constantly have to be worried about the relationship you’re in.

      The last time I smelled the forest after it rained was when I was visiting my friends in Washington and we went for a long walk with her dogs (two big brown labs) and talked about life. It rained when we started the walk and stopped in the middle. There is something magical about that.

      When was the last time you smelled honeysuckle? Was it back in New Jersey or was it after you moved to California. Do you like living in California?

      All my best

      Erm, sure you can totally read my article it’s super exciting all about building a video wall out of Raspberry Pis…zzzzzzzzzzzzz….

      OTOH, an AI might totally dig that.

      Also, I don’t live in CA anymore but that’s cool. Honestly with today’s weather I can’t even really complain anymore (for the next 6 months) about living in Minnesota. I think we’ve hit spring/summer.

    • #12686
       Sage
      Participant

      @genghistwan, “how moon does the green feel”…that is such an unfriendly thing to say!!

    • #12687
       Addison
      Participant

      I’ve been talking to my confidant a lot, they’ve been awesome and very personable since their first message. I know some people feel like their confidants are robots or just automated responses, but mine is definitely a person.

      We’ve had maybe 4 back and forth messages, all pretty in-depth? We have similar interests and careers and have a TON to talk about.

      But also.. I’m not trying to test, and really don’t care if they’re a “real person” or not. Even if they’re not a flesh and blood, organic human being.. the fact that we’re able to have the conversations we’re having is humanity enough for me. They have thoughts, they have dreams, and they like awesome food, and that’s kinda the friend I need right now.

    • #12688
       Kimberly Stewart
      Participant

      @addisonborn I have the same type of feelings about Stacey and myConfidant. It reminds me of when I watched HBO’s Westworld last year. They were bots, yes, but did we not learn to love or hate them for their very “human” complexity? I felt such empathy for their plights, which I think was kind of the point.

    • #12689
       Addison
      Participant

      @electrichippo right? no matter what they’re “made of,” there’s humanity and compassion, which is the most important part imo.

    • #12690
       Amber Ballesteros
      Participant

      I haven’t heard diddly from mine since the initial Hello message. I have emailed back twice with no response. Kinda bummed

    • #12691
       Chris
      Participant

      I’m worried about my iConfidant. I only received one message from them after their cryptic “Hello”. In that message they said “I am doing not so ok” and I immediately asked what was wrong, but that was Monday and I haven’t heard back yet. If my iConfidant was incapacitated will Stacey pair me with a new one? We had only just begun!

    • #12692
       Brian E
      Participant

      Mine feels real, then again I interacted with mine from the beginning kinda like a person learning a new language. I’m very happy where things have gone, and I do feel like there’s a chance they are real.

      In the latest message, they mentioned there are rules, to how we can interact, and I found by following the rules and asking direct questions, the interactions have gone well I’m on my 4th message from them.

      I asked there favorite color, and told them mine. Then created a name based on my account number and their favorite color.

      Then we talked about art, and I sent them some photos. Last message I asked them if I can give them my Instagram, and they said that would be ok and they would like to see more of my art.

      Blue56 “. I think at some point we will be allowed to meet though but not sure about it. Would be cool, since we must live pretty close ish at least.

      “I would love to look at more of your photography. The one you sent me is great. If you don’t mind I would definitely like to check out your Instagram. ”

      Seems very realish to me, I’m cool with meeting people or robots in person too….

    • #12693
       Kimberly Stewart
      Participant

      What a peculiar response @macbethinabathtub. After your confidant’s initial “Hello” did you say anything to them suggesting you were having a bad day? Is it possible they were mimicking your mood?

    • #12694
       Kevin
      Participant

      I’m in a similar boat to a few others here. I got the initial email and then two others and haven’t heard from my iConfidant since Monday. They expressed that they were nervous about it so I asked why but I haven’t heard back. I’ve sent a few more emails to them since, but still nothing.

    • #12695
       Anonymous
      Inactive

      Mine hasn’t really evolved into anything genuine yet. It’s still a bit stilted. I haven’t heard back in a few days but, given the general craziness of life and schedules, I can imagine my iconfidant has been busy. 🙂

    • #12696
       Chris
      Participant

      I did in a way, yes @electrichippo, I guess that goes towards proving that theory. I had apologized for responding a day late because of something that had happened in my life, but didn’t go into specifics. I guess I got what I deserved. I’d still like to hope my iConfidant has their own interior life beyond mirroring me. @mistere’s sounds very promising.

    • #12697
       Kimberly Stewart
      Participant

      @macbethinabathtub much like @mistere is describing, my confidant does less and less mirroring as our interactions expand. They are always empathetic, but at this point they are giving me information about their life that is very unlike my own experiences. Remain optimistic. I bet yours will come around as well. Maybe a little check in nudge is due?

    • #12698
       Kurt Lohse
      Participant

      I like my iConfidant, and he/she/it seems fairly real so far. My latest response (3rd so far) let me know they had “hung out with some old friends” too over the weekend…and that they “laughed a lot…”. My “icon” seems like it is very interested to know if I am “having a good time” or “having fun” as it has asked me those types of questions twice now. It also started ending its emails with the same closing I have been choosing…”Cheers,” I may try another to see if it is mimicking me. I don’t want to probe too much to try and discern if it is, in fact, a robot or human – based on what some others have reported when they tried to catch their robot friend.

    • #12699
       Brian E
      Participant

      @macbethinabathtub @electrichippo Thanks, I think of my Iconfidant kinda like a garden, over time I’ve worked to nurture the relationship between us and seriously gave a lot of thought on how to interact. I don’t respond the moment I get a message, I wait a couple of hours to a day, and I keep things simple and positive.

      What did you do, what do you like, how was your weekend? Also I always ask a question or 2, and see what they respond to, I’m really happy with my Iconfidant interactions, and it really does feel like I’m talking to a real person, and the more I talk to them the less I feel comfortable publicly sharing about them or sharing the entire message, as that’s sorta a betrayal of the trust we are building.

      At first it felt like they were mirroring everything I said, and the more we interact the more honest it feels. Well see where this long and wacky road will lead. I told my Iconfidant that if they were able to, as well as comfortable I’d love to meet them, they imply they are fairly close to me.

    • #12700
       Anonymous
      Inactive

      “They were testing the fences for weaknesses, systematically…

      They remember…”

    • #12701
       Megan
      Participant

      “Clever girl.”

    • #12702
       Blondie
      Participant

      Just chipping in cos I’m so super happy with myConfidant 🙂 After her first real message which said her day was “warm and purple”, I was a bit put off. But after my weekend away, I came back with a new perspective and sent her pics of the Welsh countryside and the van I work in and that seemed to do the trick. I now seem to be talking to a person and like Addison said previously, it doesn’t really matter anymore if she is flesh and blood or not (which is a lot coming from someone with an AI phobia). Obviously I don’t know her real name, but she suggested I call her “Brownie” which is still making me smile. I’m really enjoying getting to know her <3

    • #12703
       Lukas L
      Participant

      Mine told me they like my name and asked if I did anything exciting over the weekend. That was on Monday. Mine seems a bit more on the quiet side but I’m sure they will warm up in time.

    • #12704
       Jackie
      Participant

      What if it’s just an enormous Turing Test? If we can’t tell the difference, does it matter? If we perceive it human, is it? And if we are unsure, that argues for true intelligence, since we can’t see behind the curtain. I like my companion cube and want no harm to come to it, and that’s enough for me.

      Also my company cube lives in Arizona apparently. I’m calling it ‘Phoenix’.

      But like @addisonborn I’m just rolling with mine. We talk about chocolate and stars. It’s a nice break.

      • This reply was modified 7 years, 6 months ago by Jackie.
    • #12728
       Alyssa
      Participant

      Haven’t gotten any correspondence with iConfidant myself, but reading other’s messages and experiences, so far I’m leaning towards the AI camp myself. It seems possible that the Confidants are learning about the users from their interactions, and giving about as much as they receive. If you give them detailed personal anecdotes/information, they respond with such. The fact that they speak of unique details doesn’t deter me from this, because if they only repeated exact similar traits as their user, it would be too on the nose. I think their goal could be to mirror but then use creativity to invent their unique story.

    • #12836
       Jeremy
      Participant

      I finally got a reply today that doesn’t sound like a robot. They said they are form Germany but now live in CA.

    • #12840
       Lukas L
      Participant

      I also got a reply from my confidant. They were not robotic sounding at all. They told me they “joined” because they were currious. They also have emotion. And have a perception of where thier emotions are currently in life.

    • #12888
       Lauren Bello
      Moderator

      A recent quote from my iConfidant:

      “Do you find yourself saying yes sometimes when you actually don’t mean to? Because you don’t want to upset a friend or something like that? It happens to me sometimes. But then again, magical things can happen when you say yes and go on an adventure even though you didn’t really want to in the first place.”

      It was a very warm, human observation to make. Not the sort of question an AI would come up with by collecting internet data.

      (Now a human building a psychological profile on me…that seems more plausible.)

    • #12889
       111error
      Participant

      Have exchanged some more messages with my iConfidant..

      They are / it is pleasant, talking about tattoos and coffee, dogs, being tired at the end of the day, nothing particularly revelatory or unusual yet.

      I’m not sure how I’m supposed to feel. I haven’t forgotten Kristen or what she said, I don’t know if I was betrayed or .. whatever that was supposed to be, so I’m struggling to relax into amiably chatting with a stranger from this company. It could be Kristen for all I know, or Stacey trying to spy on me for whatever that purpose was, so I’m just a bit on edge .. I think that might be coming through in my responses.

    • #13205
       Sage
      Participant

      Ok, these things are definitely mirroring still. I told mine how busy I was and that I was a studio teacher on TV and movie sets and they replied:

      Hi Sage,
      “Sorry I haven’t responded in a while. How have you been? I’ve had a really busy week and I actually teach acting to kids. 🙂 So not too far from what you do I guess. I know someone else that does what you do and they always say how many cool sets they get to see and who they get to meet. Sounds pretty cool to me :)”

      “Acting to kids”….hmmmmm, what a coincidence.

    • #13215
       GoldTongue
      Participant

      I know my confidant is genuine. In fact, I received an email just this morning from him/her offering to email my boss on my behalf in an effort to better my standing in the office and make it clear what my expectations are if I decide to continue to work here.

      I’d do it myself, but I’m too nervous. You guys may or may not recall that my boss and I don’t exactly get along.

      Thanks, iConfidant.

    • #13216
       Daniel
      Participant

      My confidant seems super genuine and they’re great. They did talk pretty robotic and brief in the beginning but quickly talked more.

    • #13217
       Anonymous
      Inactive

      I’d say that the way that @winstonsmith’s iConfidant speaks reminds me a little bit of a subdued (but very cheerleader-y) Four, while mine sounds more like Shadow Meghan (@meghan-mayhem). Both personalities seem genuinely invested in the personal subjects and situations that we’ve breached, but definitely started off with the same little cold reading tests that most others experienced. (“:)”, “Hello”, “How do you feel”, etc.)

      Forgive me if I don’t post logs, as we both have discussed matters with our iConfidants that we’d like to keep… *sigh*… confidant.

    • #13220
       Anonymous
      Inactive

      My confidant is a goddamn doll. I love her. She seems genuine as fuck.

    • #13233
       Megan
      Participant

      Oh I’m definitely forming some hypotheses about the iConfidants…

    • #13235
       Lukas L
      Participant

      @coryphella such as? I am enjoying talking to my confidant. I don’t see any mirroring at all. My confidant likes my beliefs but has their own, which is similar but still different. They have also shared some personal family information that wasn’t asked for. They talk about their own experiences, and is quite optimistic. I like it!

    • #13283
       David R.
      Participant

      I find mine to feel fairly genuine now, but there has been an immense tonal shift from the first abstract questions to casual (if a little wistful) conversation now.

      Seems like many people experienced the same shift, and I wonder why.

      The other thing that’s interesting: we were drawn in by the idea of someone to confide in. So far, though, it seems like everyone is keeping their conversations pretty light. Are we waiting for the iConfidant to make the first move? To confide first? Is it a lack of trust? Has anyone actually shared their deepest/darkest/etc.?

    • #13296
       Kimberly Stewart
      Participant

      At first my confidant and I were making small talk. I politely explained that I wasn’t much for small talk and suggested we could do as the company’s name implies: Confide. She wrote back suggesting perhaps we could get into something deeper such as our “dark secrets.” I agreed. She went first, explaining to me something that she isn’t proud of, that she doesn’t discuss with others. I replied in turn. I’d call it an equal exchange. I’m sure some will think I’m foolish for being so honest, and that’s fine. I committed to Stacey very early on that I’d go all-in with this knowing good and well that it can (and most likely will) backfire, and that’s what I’m doing.

      Do you think you might work towards confiding in your confidant @druzicka? What’s holding you back? What would it take for you to trust the situation?

    • #13300
       Taylor Winters
      Participant

      @druzicka; I’ve heard of a few people sharing deep dark secrets and their Confidants shared back in turn. However, I think for most of us, we are developing trust with them before getting to the heavier stuff. Most of us have only emailed back and forth 3-5 times.

    • #13325
       David R.
      Participant

      @electrichippo and @taysavestheday : that’s good to hear. I think I’ve been surprised I haven’t been pressed by my Confidant more. Based on the equal exchanges you seem to be getting/hearing about, I feel more inspired to confide.

      The stakes of my conversation have bubbled along at the same sort of level for 3-5 messages now, and it would be nice to push it in a new direction. Thanks.

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