Future of AI? How an Army of Chatbots Made Me Feel Like a Celebrity

Last Updated: November 8, 2024

SocialAI: The social media chatbot
(Credits: Hodoimg/Shutterstock.com)

Imagine being a celebrity. Besides the fame and fortune that come with that status, you would also have access to millions of followers hanging on your every word across social platforms. Even a banal comment on what you had for lunch on X might result in thousands of likes and replies, and you would always have someone to talk to about anything (if only on a shallow or superficial level).

What if I told you anyone with an iPhone can have that feeling today? But on this new “social” networking app, there are no real people, just a never-ending scroll of AI-powered chatbots eager to answer your every burning question… or offer comments on your random shower thoughts.

Responses to any of your posts appear almost instantly, like with ChatGPT, but there’s one big difference: Each short reply from a follower comes from an AI-powered chatbot with a human-like personality. That’s the value proposition of a new app called SocialAI,Opens a new window which promises to turn you into the “main character” of your own private social network, featuring “infinite AI followers” who will make you “feel heard.”

No offhand comment you make is going to come to bite you 10 years later, and you can even control the types of responses you get for each post by specifying the personalities of the followers you want to interact with (e.g., optimists, pessimists, problem-solvers, intellectuals, jokesters, debaters, nerds… even trolls).

If You Can’t Beat Them, Join Them

In recent years, social networks have gained a bad reputation. They are often seen as being overrun by mindless bots, which frequently exist only for nefarious purposes. It’s often hard to tell if you’re interacting with a real human or a bot, which takes the “social” out of “social media.”

So it feels a bit odd and pessimistic to intentionally join an app that is populated entirely by chatbots, on purpose. But on SocialAI, at least you know these bots aren’t going to try to phish you or lure you into a cryptocurrency scam.

I can see the appeal. When I used to be active on Twitter, even with thousands of followers I would only typically get a few responses to anything I posted… and there was always the constant stress of putting your best foot forward or sticking to your “personal brand.” And sometimes you don’t want to put some of your thoughts out there into the public internet, or expend the mental energy to craft the perfect copy or post on a regular basis.

What Is SocialAI Good For?

The first time I posted, it was satisfying see so many replies pop up instantly. I really did feel a bit like a celebrity, or at least a popular influencer. Responses weren’t half bad either, given the open-ended question I posed about the future of AI (which I had borrowed from a comment in the Spiceworks Community).

Screenshots of SocialAI's profile screen and Post screen

SocialAI screenshots

I was also impressed that each chatbot that responded to my question had a very human-like bio and profile image. You can even read through conversations between bots when you click on their profiles. It really does feel like you’re using a lite version of X.

I would say that the app works well for broad, philosophical questions that don’t need a direct or particularly accurate answer. So if you are looking for a sympathetic ear or you want to take an idea to the next level, you might find value in the app. However, if you scroll past the first 10 responses or so, replies can get quite repetitive. While SocialAI bots do indeed have somewhat distinct personalities, they often just say the same thing with a slightly different spin or repeat themselves verbatim.

Repetitive responses is a flaw in SocialAI

Source: SocialAI screenshot

Additionally, things fall apart somewhat quickly if you want an actual answer to a specific questions. Replies to a post asking for suggestions for walkable restaurants from a certain venue in Austin, Texas were far less useful.

SocialAI’s chatbots tried to send me to restaurants miles away and they even hallucinated names of restaurants that don’t exist. After a bunch of wrong turns, I gave up before I found a single lunch recommendation that was actually useful.

What’s the Point of a Social Network Full of AI Chatbots?

Michael Sayman, the creator of SocialAI, told VergecastOpens a new window that the app was designed to offer a secondary way to connect with others.

This connection is especially valuable when posting a question online seems inappropriate because SocialAI provides a safe environment where people can express themselves without fear of judgment from real humans. In fact, users welcome critical feedback from AI. Sayman noted that the most popular personality types users choose to interact with include contrarians, debaters, and critics—those that challenge users’ points of view.

Screenshot of SocialAI conversation

Screenshot of SocialAI conversation

For that purpose, the app works well. You can test out your ideas by inviting bots to shoot holes in them, without real-world social repercussions. It gives you an opportunity to voice controversial hot takes without starting a flame war. You can also test ideas before presenting them to actual people.

However, the lack of a human element is also the app’s biggest weakness. Knowing that you are interacting with AI can feel a bit empty in a world where we crave authentic connections. While there is value to SocialAI—it feels more genuine than talking to ChatGPT—we won’t be using the app as a replacement for social media or genuine human interactions any time soon.

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Peter Tsai
Systems Administrator turned QA tester turned software engineer turned Technology Analyst, Peter is now the Head of Technology Insights at Spiceworks, where he's worked since November 2013. Now he writes fun and research-driven content to help bring a smile to your face or make your life easier.
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