Super interesting episode! I am personally more on the side of thinking this is a combination of marketing and data surveillance options and obviously as loneliness is a big thing it's quite a lucrative business opportunity.
For the whole "replace God" thing, who's to say he didn't mean exactly what he said? Things are more often than not as they appear. Not saying that's the case here, but worth considering.
I agree with your guest about the business model since that was the question I had. I've seen none of the marketing around this, but if their focal point was the pendant, then that's central to the business model. I'm equally suspicious of the actions and the motivations behind this.
Overall, good episode with a good format. Simple conversations are great, especially when you get a good rhythm going. Only complaint is that substack's video player kinda sucks lol (I usually just listen to the audio).
For sure, I have no clue either way. I have an inclination to see prideful behavior, but that's by no means infallible.
Yeah, I usually listen to the audio here or elsewhere—just wanted to give this one a watch since you said it was a new thing you're trying. Was really helpful in seeing the examples as you talked about them and watching you hop on friend.com and immediately get blocked.
I find Claude often creates Asian characters. like there's some deep instruction or preference. If it is using Claude, it might be inheriting that?
I think people are missing out by just using the default chatbots tbh. I usually start chats by creating a character expert first (sometimes in crazy detail) for it to be, and *then* get it to help with whatever task.
The Stone sounds cool
super keen to try a traumagotchi. I gave Replika a month but it was running on such a trash model, it may as well have been scripted.
wait .. why is selling a $100 tamagotchi not a scalable business model? Was selling $15 tamagotchis not sustainable? hate so much that everything has to be a subscription these days. Especially when you're buying a physical object. But obviously the temptation is there to shill
* I think people are missing out by just using the default chatbots tbh. I usually start chats by creating a character expert first (sometimes in crazy detail) for it to be, and *then* get it to help with whatever task. <-- Say more on that! I do something like this.
* wait .. why is selling a $100 tamagotchi not a scalable business model? Was selling $15 tamagotchis not sustainable? hate so much that everything has to be a subscription these days. Especially when you're buying a physical object. But obviously the temptation is there to shill --> agree re: subs, but maybe it has something to do w/ memory
varies, depending, but eg. if I'm going to have it analyze/investigate something, it'll be more entertaining to me, and possibly more creative if I have it "be" Sherlock Holmes, but not exactly Sherlock Holmes because that brings too much literal Sherlock into it, so instead start by creating a character inspired by Sherlock, lives in blah blah, skilled at <task related to the thing>, personality with elements of <blah>.
.. and actually just have it build a whole character sheet, background, personality, etc, and once it's ready. Export that to a new chat to save some context space and chat with that character about the thing.
my favorite bit about this company is that they spent 1.8M of 2.5M raised (that's the actual amount their raised) on the URL friend.com
Super interesting episode! I am personally more on the side of thinking this is a combination of marketing and data surveillance options and obviously as loneliness is a big thing it's quite a lucrative business opportunity.
For the whole "replace God" thing, who's to say he didn't mean exactly what he said? Things are more often than not as they appear. Not saying that's the case here, but worth considering.
I agree with your guest about the business model since that was the question I had. I've seen none of the marketing around this, but if their focal point was the pendant, then that's central to the business model. I'm equally suspicious of the actions and the motivations behind this.
Overall, good episode with a good format. Simple conversations are great, especially when you get a good rhythm going. Only complaint is that substack's video player kinda sucks lol (I usually just listen to the audio).
It's available on the RSS too - audio only.
I like to give people benefit of the doubt, re: the God comment. It also just doesn't read as God like.
For sure, I have no clue either way. I have an inclination to see prideful behavior, but that's by no means infallible.
Yeah, I usually listen to the audio here or elsewhere—just wanted to give this one a watch since you said it was a new thing you're trying. Was really helpful in seeing the examples as you talked about them and watching you hop on friend.com and immediately get blocked.
Assorted thoughts while listening:
I find Claude often creates Asian characters. like there's some deep instruction or preference. If it is using Claude, it might be inheriting that?
I think people are missing out by just using the default chatbots tbh. I usually start chats by creating a character expert first (sometimes in crazy detail) for it to be, and *then* get it to help with whatever task.
The Stone sounds cool
super keen to try a traumagotchi. I gave Replika a month but it was running on such a trash model, it may as well have been scripted.
wait .. why is selling a $100 tamagotchi not a scalable business model? Was selling $15 tamagotchis not sustainable? hate so much that everything has to be a subscription these days. Especially when you're buying a physical object. But obviously the temptation is there to shill
* I think people are missing out by just using the default chatbots tbh. I usually start chats by creating a character expert first (sometimes in crazy detail) for it to be, and *then* get it to help with whatever task. <-- Say more on that! I do something like this.
* wait .. why is selling a $100 tamagotchi not a scalable business model? Was selling $15 tamagotchis not sustainable? hate so much that everything has to be a subscription these days. Especially when you're buying a physical object. But obviously the temptation is there to shill --> agree re: subs, but maybe it has something to do w/ memory
varies, depending, but eg. if I'm going to have it analyze/investigate something, it'll be more entertaining to me, and possibly more creative if I have it "be" Sherlock Holmes, but not exactly Sherlock Holmes because that brings too much literal Sherlock into it, so instead start by creating a character inspired by Sherlock, lives in blah blah, skilled at <task related to the thing>, personality with elements of <blah>.
.. and actually just have it build a whole character sheet, background, personality, etc, and once it's ready. Export that to a new chat to save some context space and chat with that character about the thing.
ok that's how I do it too, LOL. I find it incredibly helpful as a therapist for at least some issues.
You have a nice voice!
Thank you
Last night I interviewed the founder
I’ve been trauma dumped a lot of times, and I guarantee you that none of them were this bitchy.
Thank you
YOURE WELCOME! ;)