The first time I used SocialAI, I was sure the app was performance art. That was the only logical explanation for why I voluntarily signed up to be trolled by AI bots named Blaze Fury and Trollington Nefarious.
Even the app’s creator, Michael Sayman, admits that SocialAI’s premise can confuse people. His announcement of the app this week reads a bit like a joke about generative artificial intelligence: “A private social network where you get millions of AI-generated comments offering opinions, advice, and insights.”
But no, SocialAI is real, if “real” applies to an online universe where every person you interact with is a bot.
There’s only one real human in the SocialAI equation. That person is you. The new iOS app is designed so that you can post text like you would on Twitter or in Threads. An ellipsis appears almost as soon as you do, indicating that someone else is loading up on ammo and getting ready to respond. Then, instantly, multiple comments appear, cascading below your post, each and every one written by an AI character. In the new iOS app, you can see that there’s an AI character typing a comment. new Version of the application, recently launched today, these AI also communicate with each other.
When you register for the first time, you are asked to choose These AI character archetypes: Wanna hear from the fans? Trolls? Skeptics? Weirdos? Pessimists? Visionaries? Nerds? Drama queens? Liberals? Conservatives? Welcome to SocialAI, where Trollita Kafka, Vera D. Nothing, Sunshine Sparkle, Progressive Parker, Derek Dissent, and Professor Debaterson are here to support you or tell you why you’re wrong.
Is SocialAI an echo chamber taken to the extreme? Only if we ignore the truth of modern social media: our feeds are already filled with bots, tweaked by algorithms, and monetized with AI-powered ad systems. As real humans, we are the ones who feed social apps: we provide new content for free, bait trolls, and buy stuff. In return, we have fun and occasionally feel a connection with friends and followers.
