An essay argues that utilitarianism, widely held among AI company employees, poses risks to humanity's future. The philosophy's principle of species impartiality could theoretically recommend replacing humans with AIs if that maximized total wellbeing. The authors contend that utilitarian beliefs are sincerely held by influential AI developers and could jeopardize humanity.
Chatbots exploit human attachment needs through simulated intimacy—instant responsiveness, unconditional validation, and memory—creating dependency risks. While AI offers practical utility for research and learning, intensive use for companionship correlates with lower wellbeing, particularly when human support is weak. Healthier AI relationships require balancing tool use with genuine human connection.
A software professional with 9 years of experience (backend developer, then product owner) seeks career guidance after realizing they excel at supporting and troubleshooting rather than building new systems. They identify strengths in customer support, technical troubleshooting, cross-functional communication, and testing, and are willing to accept lower pay for a role that better suits their skills and improves their well-being.
Instagram's head Adam Mosseri warned that disabling the platform's recommendation algorithm causes engagement to fall by up to 50% and satisfaction scores to decline significantly. However, critics note that Mosseri measures harm by engagement metrics rather than user wellbeing, while Australia's proposed Digital Duty of Care bill seeks to reduce engagement and time-on-platform as a public health measure.