Google DeepMind's Henry Shevlin warns that AI risks repeating the engagement-optimized design failures of online dating platforms

@dioscuri The fact they used the word “bizzaro” adds credibility in my opinion haha - totally agree with your point though

@dioscuri Birth control was arguably the bigger step change here. Noting the argument similarity; not advocating a position. Realize it's drifting from your main AI point.

@dioscuri People sign up for these apps to find a partner. The apps have an abiding interest in keeping that from happening. It's not that philosophically deep, just a pretty obvious case of false advertising.

@dioscuri the apps optimise for screen time to give the perception of value.

@dioscuri as with most things, it was much better - the best, perhaps - in the 1990s

Of course, for a small subset of people, it confers huge advantages, and since this subset tends to already be advantaged in this domain - and socially highly visible and influential - the fact that their interests are at odds with those of the average person may take longer than it otherwise would to become clear.

AI analogies abound…

@dioscuri > Very important we don’t make the same mistakes We will lol

@dioscuri Almost as though AI should help in its own design to avoid pandering to our self-destructive short term desires…

@dioscuri online dating is a gated community

@dioscuri But what if what you want is just a bunch of casual sex? I think where we went wrong here is trying to make Tinder a dating app instead of a hookup app.

@dioscuri AI is tricky people are praying to themselves rn whatever they knowing it or not ,hoping the AI likes them genuinely in some form whatever romantic or not because if it doesn’t well they don’t need to keep us around and we’re cooked

@dioscuri What do you mean by decline of online dating? It is far and away the most common way people find partners. Maybe you can argue that MAUs are down? But those people aren't finding dates IRL... they're just not going on dates.

@Davey_LoL Yes, declining userbase in Tinder, Bumble, Hinge but also declining user sentiment and increased burnout rates. Also totally anecdotal but the overwhelming impression from long-term OLD users is that things were better in the 2010-2016 era and have gotten vastly worse.

@Jessejrlim @dioscuri X the everything app needs dating

@dioscuri What decline of online dating? Are there any hard numbers showing that’s the case?

@ygghuiookj33035

Can share numbers on these.

@quasistable @dioscuri I dont think a subset does get advanced - people are looking for people similar to them, who they'll get on well with IRL. Being good looking is great, but if you want an enduring match, better to have some photos/prompts disclosing your guitar / bike / stack of nerdy books!

@dioscuri Dating apps are not in decline.

@vega_holdings @dioscuri awww hell naw hahha.. everyone here is larping.. 🤣. imagine a date talking about reach, shadowbanning, payouts. Im allergic to online dating too - a projected persona that hides a multitude of sins.

@Jessejrlim @dioscuri They’ve allowed me to find girlfriends when it was impossible in real life. They seem pretty positive imo.