Career advice from Scary Movie’s Drew Decker

“Imagine having a conversation with your favorite movie character or getting career advice from an AI version of a historical figure. That’s not just companionship—it’s a new frontier in engagement.”

That’s Artem Rodichev, founder of AI-avatar chatbot platform Ex-human and the former head of AI at Replika, in a much-discussed piece over at Fast Company.

The whole article is well worth a read, and provides a good overview of the rise of AI companions, touching on loneliness, innovation, and ethics. 

It’s not difficult to imagine a world in which interactive AI conversations are a part of every major marketing campaign. Public figures, including Carmen Electra (who alongside Scary Movie also appeared in Date Movie, Epic Movie, and Disaster Movie) are already offering fans a 24/7 “chat with me anytime” AI-powered experience. 

The next step of fans being able to ask Captain America whether to take a new job, or checking Vincent van Gogh’s take on the best restaurant in Sydney (it’s Saint Peter, obviously, even Vincent vAIn Gogh would know that) is surely just around the corner.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with any of this - how many of us have wished there were two of us to help get things done? In fact, as a response to a public health epidemic of loneliness, it could prove both effectual and cost-effective. 

But there’s also no point in denying it feels a bit weird, brings into question our sense of self, and is going to test our legal, technological, and societal systems to their limits. 

Or we may all just get obsessed with a Regina George AI companion and wear pink on Wednesdays. Could go either way.