Experiment: a young man was able to talk to his future self thanks to artificial intelligence

Have you ever wondered what your future would say to you? Although technology has advanced significantly in recent years, time machines that transport us to the past or the future have not yet been invented.

However, there Artificial intelligence This could bring us a little closer to this reality. And it is that of the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) , They invented a chatbot that lets us talk to our more adult selves who would offer us advice and wisdom.

As explained on the project page, The goal would be to encourage people to continue to be better every day and motivate them, especially those who tend to procrastinate too much, have lost their business, have bad habits or are simply going through a bad time.

This is how this AI works.

The user experience is unprecedented: the project developed by MIT This allows the person to see themselves in the future, even with the most wrinkled skin, gray hair and, quite simply, with the passage of time on their body.

Additionally, after providing the necessary information (about one’s own personality, friends, family, hobbies, dreams and experiences), This Artificial Intelligence is capable of generating “synthetic and plausible” memories and telling you a story about what your life will be like in the future. focusing on reviewing stories of happiness and success.

That’s to say, Your future self will tell you how great their life is many years later so that you persist and continue to work and grow. because what’s coming will be better, based on the decisions you make along the way.

“The aim is to promote long-term thinking and behavior change. “This could motivate people to make smarter decisions in the present that optimize their well-being and long-term outcomes.” explained one of the researchers working on the project, Pat Pataranutaporn.

A student wanted to try this tool. She dreams of becoming a biology teacher, so she asked the chatbot, a 60-year-old version of herself, what the best moment of her career had been.

The AI ​​responded that at age 60 she retired to Boston and that one of her fondest memories was that while she was a biology teacher she helped a student who wanted to improve his grades and that “It was very gratifying to see the student’s face light up with pride and success.

On the other hand, The researcher also tested the robot and said he had a very in-depth conversation, when his older self told him that his parents wouldn’t be around forever and that he should spend more time with them while he could. This had a profound impact on him: “The session gave me a perspective that still impacts me today. »

But This is not a prediction. The project tells users that their “future self” is someone they could potentially become, but that it is not a reality that will come true with certainty.

In exchange, It’s a kind of support for those who have trouble imagining their future or who feel unmotivated. Thus, they will realize that by making better decisions, such as persevering in their work or studies, adopting healthier lifestyles and having better financial strategy and planning, they could lead them to be as successful as they are. The future shown by artificial intelligence.

The project is not yet accessible to the general public, but it could be very soon.

What would you ask of your future self?