Insights to Inspire

AI Companions Need Ethics, Not Just Empathy: Lessons from Meta’s New Bot — and How to Create a Safer Path (Part 1)

A Growing Silence We Can’t Ignore Do you know someone who switches on the TV, radio, or a music‑streaming app just to fill the house with voices? Maybe it’s your mom, your grandpa… or, even you on a restless evening. Our inner thoughts can be decent company, sure, but sometimes we crave a spark of connection or a fresh distraction. That little habit of substituting screen or speaker for real conversation is becoming alarmingly common as face‑to‑face interaction dwindles. Yet, let’s be honest, a playlist can’t hug you back.

Isadora Monteiro and Juan Pablo Vargas June 19, 2025