Loneliness and Trust in the Age of AI | Colman Noctor | TEDxTrinityCollegeDublin

When machines listen but don’t care: The age of AI (Artificial Intelligence) will bring about the biggest changes of what it means to be human. As a psychotherapist, I have no expertise in how AI automation will affect jobs, but as someone with a fascination for human relationships and connection I am intrigued to see how these technologies will affect an already fragmented environment of human connection. As technology seems to make us more virtually dependent but physically distant, I wonder how developments in AI will progress this worrying trend. As young people tell me about how they consult Chat GPT for emotional guidance and feel they cannot believe anything that they see, AI is already playing a role in the construction of human relationships. Are we heading into an age of illusion? What will society look like in a world where trust is diluted and questioned, with authenticity and sincerity difficult to identify. This talk will explore these concepts and offer alternatives to sustain human connection and use AI to complement our lives and not supplement it. Dr Colman Noctor is a Mental Health Lecturer in SETU Waterford and a Psychoanalytical Psychotherapist. His doctoral research was a psychodynamic exploration of online sharing and he has had a specialist interest in the impact of technology on our mental lives. Colman has written two bestselling books, is a weekly columnist with the Irish Examiner and a regular contributor to print and broadcast media. He is the host of the Asking for a Parent podcast and part of the expert team designing the new Rising Minds program being rolled out in secondary schools as part of the A Lust for Life mental health charity. Colman has spoken at many national and international conferences and his engaging style is informative in relation to the impact of the technological world on our mental lives and relationships. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx