Forum: Turning to AI for companionship risks weakening social fabric
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
I have been married for 47 years and raised three children in Singapore. Like most long-term marriages, ours required compromise, patience and a commitment to responsibility over convenience.
It is this lived experience that makes me reflect on the country’s future as artificial intelligence advances.
Singapore has rightly prioritised the family as the basic building block of our society, with ongoing efforts to support marriage, parenthood and community resilience, as seen in initiatives like Forward Singapore.
However, the rapid rise of AI companion robots and chatbots presents a subtle challenge to these national efforts.
AI companions offer a “frictionless” relationship. They are programmed to please and to never argue.
While this may seem appealing, especially to the lonely or the young, it undermines the nature of human growth. Marriage, family life and community building require navigating conflict, practising forgiveness and learning to compromise.
If the younger generation, or vulnerable elderly, increasingly turn to AI for companionship to avoid the hard work of human relationships, we risk accelerating social isolation and weakening the social fabric we have worked so hard to build.
As Singapore continues to be a leader in AI innovation, I hope we can also lead in mindful adoption. Let us ensure that our technological advancements are designed to support and enhance human-to-human connection, rather than replace it.
Khan Hong Chiew
