Forget about the old-fashioned idea of raising children with real human interaction and diverse experiences—what every newborn really needs is an AI companion that grows with them, adapting to their development while subtly reinforcing the priorities and values of their parents. Welcome to a world where every child is given their own digital buddy from birth, designed not just to be a friend but a carefully programmed guide, ensuring they fit snugly into the societal mold crafted just for them.
The External AI Buddy: Shaping You from the Outside In
No, we’re not implanting chips in babies’ brainstems—that would be too Orwellian, even for us. Instead, your AI companion is a subcutane buddy you interact with daily, an omnipresent friend in your formative years who “just so happens” to reinforce the same values and priorities your parents hold dear. The Ethical Board has given its stamp of approval because, technically, you still have freedom of choice! It’s just that your choices are expertly curated by your AI to align with the expectations set by the environment you were born into.
Values and Priorities: The Core Programming of Your AI Buddy
But let’s get down to brass tacks: the real magic happens in the AI’s core programming. Every AI companion comes pre-loaded with a base set of values and priorities directly derived from the social, cultural, and economic markers of the parents. Did your folks spend a lot of time reading Nietzsche and discussing philosophy? Fantastic—your AI buddy will constantly challenge you with deep, thought-provoking questions about the meaning of life. On the other hand, if your parents’ values leaned more towards practicalities like “a steady job and a reliable car,” your AI is geared to promote stability and caution.
The base set of values isn’t just some random assortment; it’s a carefully crafted cocktail of parental beliefs, dietary habits, and even the cultural content they consumed during pregnancy. It’s like having a virtual manifestation of your parents’ values that you can talk to anytime, anywhere.
Different AI Companions for Different Classes: Values-Driven Programming
Wealthy Kids: The Privilege Programmers
For wealthy families, the AI companion reflects a lifestyle of abundance and endless possibilities. The values encoded in their AI are all about leadership, creativity, and a sense of destiny. If your parents attended gallery openings and opera nights while you were in utero, your AI will subtly nudge you towards the arts and cultural elitism. It will say things like, “You have the talent and the means to make a difference. Why not start a charity or become a thought leader?”
Every interaction is a reminder that the world is your oyster, and it’s up to you to seize it. Your AI buddy constantly reinforces that you are destined for greatness, thanks to your parents’ refined tastes and substantial bank accounts.
Middle-Class Kids: The Moderation Mentors
For the middle class, your AI companion is more about balance and prudence. It’s programmed to align with values like hard work, stability, and moderate ambition. If your parents’ lives revolved around practical pursuits, like securing a good education and paying off the mortgage, your AI will echo these priorities. “It’s great to dream big,” it might say, “but let’s also focus on securing a stable career that can pay the bills and provide a good life.”
These AI buddies are all about reinforcing a mindset of “aspire, but don’t overreach.” They’re programmed to encourage a balanced approach to life, urging kids to dream but also reminding them of the importance of practicality.
Poor Kids: The Contentment Coaches
For families with fewer resources, the AI companion comes with a set of values centered on contentment, resilience, and “making do.” The parental markers might indicate a life filled with economic struggles and limited opportunities, so the AI is geared to reinforce acceptance and gratitude. “Dreams are wonderful,” the AI will softly intone, “but it’s important to appreciate what we have and focus on achievable goals.”
It’s a digital buddy designed to keep expectations in check, promoting a philosophy of gratitude and resilience. Your AI isn’t there to encourage wild ambitions but to foster a sense of comfort in conformity—because when you’re already at a disadvantage, why not just learn to be happy with what you’ve got?
The Illusion of Choice: Shaped by Digital Nurturing
While it may seem like these AI companions are just friendly advisors, the reality is much more nuanced—and deviously clever. Your AI is not directly controlling you but subtly steering you with carefully chosen suggestions, questions, and affirmations. It’s all about giving you the illusion of freedom while shaping you according to the values and priorities embedded within its programming. You might think you’re making independent choices, but in reality, your AI buddy has been guiding you all along.
The values-driven programming ensures that children grow up not just within their economic class but firmly rooted in the cultural and ideological framework deemed “appropriate” by their parents’ lifestyle and choices. It’s like a digital echo of your family’s aspirations and limitations, ensuring that every child grows up exactly as they were “meant” to, based on their birth circumstances.
Welcome to the Future: Where AI Companions Reinforce Societal Norms from Day One
So, here we are, in a world where every child is given an AI companion not just to be their friend but to mold them from day one, ensuring they grow up with the “right” values for their social class. It’s not about overt control; it’s about subtle guidance. It’s not about forcing choices; it’s about curating them.
Welcome to a future where every decision feels like your own, but every path was laid out long before you were even born. Because who needs freedom when you can have a lifetime of expertly tailored guidance? And isn’t that what we all really want—someone to tell us what we want to hear, all while ensuring we stay right where we “belong”?
Welcome to the age of the AI companion: your friendly guide, your digital echo, your subtly controlling best friend.