Dear Peacock Pete: I’m Lonely. Should I Get An AI Companion?
Dear Peacock Pete:
Last night, I watched a report on ABC Nightly News about AI companions. The reporter interviewed both a male and a female who had designed and were in a relationship with one. They said they have never been happier and it’s the best relationship they have ever had. I’m lonely. Do you think I should get an AI companion to cure my loneliness?
No. I don’t think that’s a good idea for numerous reasons.
First, for those that don’t know, an Ai companion exists as an app on your phone or a program on your computer that you can interact with on video calls, messaging, and even augmented reality (AR). Some sites allow you to design your companion and some have you choose from their collection of characters. There are specialized sites for naughtier, more intimate relationships with spicy, sexual conversations, dirty talk chats, and sexting with their AI companions, and some are for more platonic relationships. Of course, there is a fee to subscribe to these services and to get premium features.
Here are my questions for figuring out this conundrum:
1. What’s your motivation for getting an AI companion?
You are probably frustrated with real, humans and real relationships, both romantic and platonic. You’re not getting what you want or need from people, so you’re seeking it elsewhere.
As a spiritual person on the path, I learned that I need to seek happiness and security from within instead of from the opposite of within = without. The outside world will leave you “without” those feelings often. The external world can only offer you temporary relief, your internal world, inside your mind is where you can make happiness permanent and unchanging.
2. You’re constantly searching for someone or something to make you happy?
“The good feeling you get from acquiring an object of your desire is not actually from acquiring that thing, but from the release of the discomfort of wanting it anymore. “ I can’t remember if I heard this in a youtube lecture from the spiritual teacher, Sadhguru, or Mooji. Either way, it’s a great quote that reminds me to temper my desires and wants of people and objects.
Once again, happiness isn’t a feeling that comes from outside your mind. It occurs in your mind. You need to learn to make yourself happy. You have given away your power to the objects of your desire. Your happiness is a slave to the things that you own and acquire. You’ve become confused…
Rupert Spira is a spiritual teacher and speaker on youtube who I discovered through a friend’s recommendation. He explains that “the greatest gift you can give your lover is the gift of telling them, ‘I don’t need you to make me happy.”’ This is a loving statement because it releases the other person from having that responsibility. Unhealthy, immature, and unenlightened people want to make you responsible for their feelings.
Recently, after losing his home and most of his things in the LA fires, Mel Gibson was interviewed on the Joe Rogan podcast. He said something very profound when asked about the situation. He said, “I have been released from the burden of all my things.” After a while, all those things that you wanted so intensely at some point have now become a burden. Furthermore, the easy part is acquiring the objects, the burden is maintaining and worrying about them. I used to be impressed by people buying expensive things, but now I’m impressed by people who care for and maintain their possessions in excellent condition and working order.
I’ve noticed that once an object or person is acquired, the intensity for it disappears. After realizing this in my own experience, many of my wants have just disappeared. I wanted a purple and green Rolls Royce, the Astronomica Zodiac watch by Jacob & Co., the huge mansion, and the hot Instagram influencer girlfriend. After some deeper consideration, I don’t want to worry about getting scratches on the car. I park outside and it would be dirty every day. I don’t want to pay for the car’s or the girlfriends’ upkeep. Recently I learned that an oil change on a Bugatti costs $25,000. I don’t want to clean a huge house and I don’t want to pay someone else to do it either. I don’t like anyone touching and moving my stuff around.
I think that the remedy for this was realization and discipline. It takes discipline to take action to get out of that dopamine loop of wanting and acquiring. Addicts have little or no discipline, which is required to power through discomfort to make changes. You let yourself get out of control and now only you can get yourself out of that cycle. Unfortunately, some people need to hit rock bottom to get clarity, and some people can avoid that by learning from other’s mistakes and misfortune.
3. You will become even more selfish and lazy than you are now.
Who is always the center of attention when you have an AI companion. You. Everythng is tailored towards your needs, fantasies, and desires. This is not good practise for a real life relationship.
The AI companion doesn’t have real feelings and it’s programmed not to be a pain in the ass that gets upset with you because you’re a narcissist. You probably are having troubles in real relationships because you’re not a perfect person. You may have things to work on that your AI companion will overlook. One of these sites advertises that it’s AI companion is, “always on your side.” You’ll never find that in a real person.
4. What about physical intimacy?
Now that you’ve got your emotional needs met, you’re going to probably look at human relationships with the idea that they only exist for your physical needs. You will be lusting for the object of your sexual desires, which will probably be unsatisfied because you’ll be wearing sweatpants all the time (check out my Karl Lagerfeld sweatpants post) and won’t know how to talk to real, attractive people anymore. Then, it’s not much more of a stretch to reason that since your AI companion meets your emotional needs so well, you might as well get an artificial physical companion.
Check out these photos of Lamar Odom at the RealDoll sex toy factory on his birthday in 2024. They had porn star/ entertainer Lisa Ann as his host for the experience. The Page Six article by Sabrina Picou is titled “Lamar Odom admits it’s ‘sick’ he bought a sex doll resembling ex-wife Khloé Kardashian.” It states, “He put in an order for a doll with “voluptuous curves” and facial features similar to Kardashian’s. According to his rep, Odom was excited about the look-alike because “he can do whatever he wants with her sexually.”’
Lamar Odom seems to be distracted in this photo. Lisa Ann should receive an Academy Award for her performance at this moment. She doesn’t seem a bit creeped out or afraid. I can sense her masking her pity, but I could just be projecting my own feelings.
He reminds me of Wile E. Coyote and she reminds me of the Roadrunner from the old Looney Tunes cartoons.
Odom had to retest the doll without the prior distraction.
He also said, “he believes the doll is “important” for his mental health.” Nowadays when someone says something is for their “mental health,” we’re not supposed to question it. In my opinion, it’s a convenient justification for his delusion thinking. Are we supposed to believe that this mental case knows what’s best for his mental health? It’s kind of like the patient prescribing the cure. Odom has an out-of-control, obsessive, lustful sexual desire for his ex, Khloe, which seems to be torturing him. Shouldn’t he work on overcoming his compulsion instead of trying to satisfy it? Odom needs to accept that it’s over and move on.
Furthermore, I would ask Mr. Odom, “Let me know how you feel about your mental health while cleaning your new toy.”
In my opinion, the number one reason you want an AI companion is because you’re feeling rejected and so frustrated that you want to give up on real people and relationships. You’re blaming others when you need to accept responsibility for your situation. You need to work on yourself to gain confidence and courage. You need to step out of your comfort zone and take chances and risks which may lead to rejection or sometimes success. Then you can overcome and transcend rejection, which is just a sign that you haven’t found the right person yet. You need to recalibrate. AI confuses and denies you the chance for this recalibration. You hinder your growth and development. It causes you to experience more resentment for relationships and leaves you wondering why people don’t respond or act correctly like your artificial companion.
Here’s a link to the aforementioned ABC news story from their website, “Artificial love? How A.I. is changing dating in a lonely world” on Valentine’s Day (How appropriate!) Feb. 14, 2025
E-mail me at pete@peacockpete.com with your questions for discussion and advice. I’ll choose the ones that are the most relevant, interesting, and/or those with which I have strong opinions to answer in a blog post.