#Dataprivacy

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) is not only transforming industries and daily life but is also poised to tackle one of humanity’s most persistent social issues: loneliness. Recent developments, as highlighted in a feature by The New Yorker, suggest that AI may soon be capable of providing companionship that is emotionally sophisticated and available at any time—an evolution that both excites technologists and worries experts in human well-being (The New Yorker). As these innovations draw nearer to mainstream adoption, Thai society must grapple with both the promises and perils of outsourcing human connection to machines.

Loneliness is rising in urban Thailand as fast-paced living and dense housing erode traditional community ties. Data suggest older adults often face isolation, especially as families shrink with urbanization and lower birth rates. The COVID-19 era intensified social gaps, highlighting the urgency for compassionate, locally relevant solutions.

Tech firms are racing to deliver AI companions—digital entities that can converse, simulate empathy, and remember user preferences. These virtual friends come as chatbots, voice assistants, or avatars, offering interactive dialogue that may help people who struggle to connect with others. In theory, such tools could reach people in rural areas, individuals with disabilities, or seniors who live apart from family, providing a steady source of conversation and support. Data from Thailand’s tech sector show growing interest in AI-powered mental health features and senior-friendly smart devices.

A new artificial intelligence (AI) system, developed by international researchers, is turning heads worldwide for its uncanny ability to predict human decisions with unprecedented accuracy—raising both hopes of revolutionary applications and urgent questions about privacy and ethics. This breakthrough, recently published in the journal Nature, introduces the AI model “Centaur”, which has outperformed decades-old cognitive models in forecasting how people think, learn, and act across diverse scenarios (studyfinds.org).

Centaur’s creators set out with an ambitious goal: develop a single AI system capable of predicting human behaviour in any psychological experiment, regardless of context or complexity. To achieve this, they compiled a massive “Psych-101” dataset spanning 160 types of psychological tests—ranging from memory exercises and risk-taking games to moral and logical dilemmas—amassing data from over 60,000 people and more than 10 million separate decisions. Unlike traditional models tuned for specific tasks, Centaur was trained to generalise, understanding the plain-language descriptions of each experiment.

A groundbreaking AI system is drawing attention for its ability to forecast human choices with impressive accuracy. Published in Nature, the Centaur model seeks to predict how people think, learn, and decide across diverse tasks. The research team says Centaur generalizes beyond single experiments, offering new ways to study decision-making in real time.

Centaur was trained on a vast “Psych-101” dataset containing 160 types of psychological tests. The data come from more than 60,000 participants and over 10 million decisions. The system learns language-driven task descriptions rather than task-specific rules. Unlike older models designed for narrow tasks, Centaur aims to apply broad reasoning to novel experiments.

AI chatbots are emerging as a potential emotional lifeline for people seeking support, with new research showing more individuals turning to artificial intelligence for comfort traditionally sought from human therapists. While this offers faster, around-the-clock access, experts warn about privacy risks and the limits of AI as a substitute for professional care. The Thai context is especially salient as access to mental health services remains uneven and cultural factors influence how people seek help.

ChatGPT, a widely used generative AI chatbot, is becoming an emotional lifeline for individuals seeking support, with new research indicating a record number of people are turning to artificial intelligence for comfort traditionally sought from human therapists. The rapid rise in AI’s role as a confidant is stirring both hope and concern among mental health experts and policymakers worldwide — and it holds unique implications for Thailand, where access to mental healthcare remains a societal challenge.

A recent podcast appearance by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has sparked a global debate about AI companions. He envisions a near-future where many people’s friends, therapists, and even business aides are artificial intelligence bots integrated into familiar platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram. The dialogue now turns to whether AI friends can truly ease loneliness or simply reshape human connections.

As loneliness rises worldwide, Meta markets AI-powered chatbots as virtual confidants, support systems, and entertainment partners. Citing research showing substantial portions of adults feel regularly lonely, the company argues that scalable AI could address disconnection. Meta’s Llama models and a new AI app aim to weave these bots into daily digital life, from casual chats and memes to mental health support and simulated companionship. In this framing, technology promises a practical remedy for social isolation.

Meta Chief Executive Officer’s latest sweeping vision imagines a near-future where most people’s friends—and even therapists or business aides—are artificial intelligence (AI) bots available through familiar platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram. Mark Zuckerberg’s comments, which came in a May 2025 podcast, have ignited a wide-ranging debate about the promises and perils of AI companions as a solution to the world’s loneliness epidemic, while raising searching questions for Thailand’s digitally savvy population.