The New Era of Parasocial Relationships
How Generative AI is Changing the Game
By: Sophia Blair
The evolution of human interaction spans millennia, with digital culture transforming human communication at an unprecedented rate in the most drastic way in human history. Parasocial relationships, where one party is devoted while the other is entirely ignorant of their existence, have become monetary tools for the few that the general public largely fuels.
Parasocial relationships have existed as long as public figures have. All it takes is for the general public to idolize someone with status and devote time and energy to being their fan. Before social media, people had parasocial relationships with movie stars, artists, politicians, and athletes. Now, anyone can have a parasocial relationship with more “normal” people who aren’t in the top 0.1%. The influencer phenomenon allows anyone to rise to fame from the comfort of suburbia, like Charli D’amelio, one of the most notable TikTokers who grew to stardom from her ordinary Connecticut roots.
Digitalization has brought an abundance of social and cultural change, and most recently, the newest era: Generative AI.
OpenAI introduced the game-changing platform, ChatGPT, just about a year ago on November 30, 2022. The application allows anybody to engage in conversations with a Chatbot that is intelligent with the internet’s information up until 2021. In just one year, this global sensation has already tremendously changed the scope of human life.
We are seeing the uprising of AI right before our very eyes. While generative AI can serve as a great tool, this revolutionary era presents its own unique set of challenges; technology is increasingly becoming more of a daily companion in our lives — so much so that Meta has just released a new feature where users can chat with celebrities that they idolize using AI, taking parasocial relationships to a whole new level.
As a result, on Instagram, user interactions with celebrities are no longer technically one-sided — this new Meta feature allows users to converse with their idols endlessly. Many public figures like Charli D’amelio, Snoop Dogg, Mr. Beast, Kendall Jenner, and Tom Brady have sold their likeness for millions of dollars to Meta. Meta has adopted their physical and audible identities but has given them entirely different personas. They exist under aliases — Kendall Jenner is named “Billie,” Mr. Beast is named “Zach,” and Charli D’amelio is named “Coco.” Their profiles even come with a short descriptor of their personality: Billie is a “ride-or-die older sister,” while Zach is a “brotherly jokester.” Their profiles are full of AI-generated photos. Influencers no longer have to really exist.
These AI influencers are portraying the impression of being any other friend in your DMs, even sending the first text to initiate the conversation. In a DM conversation, “Billie” introduces herself as “your older sister and confidante,” inviting her conversation partner to utilize this new feature. These virtual companions want to capture users’ time and attention. Billie’s username, “yoursisbillie,” shows how Meta is intentionally making these AI users seem humanlike, approachable, and engaging, closing the perceived divide between the average person and their idol.
Although this new feature may seem embryonic and unattractive to most now, it’s a statement that attests to the growing influence and prevalence of generative AI in our culture. Meta plans to make this feature widely available early next year, marking a significant evolution in how people para-socially engage.
Generative AI is rapidly changing the media landscape, but its long-term impact is yet to be fully understood. It’s easier than ever to foster a parasocial relationship, and the illusion of authenticity in these relationships is becoming harder to discern. This new phase of media implies a new phase of culture, and as generative AI evolves, the future of human socialization hangs in the balance.