The CNN Original Series “Kara Swisher Wants to Live Forever” follows journalist Kara Swisher as she explores the booming business of life extension and the people determined to defy death. Watch the fourth episode at 9 p.m. ET Saturday, and stream the premiere episode on the CNN app.
Say everyone had a best friend who was always available, never judgmental, totally on the same page about everything and needed nothing in return. Wouldn’t that solve the loneliness so many people are facing?
No, experts say. In fact, having a best friend like that might make things much worse.
That potential “BFF” already exists in artificial intelligence — a technology that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg suggested last year could help fix feelings of loneliness and isolation. This is a problem that needs solving.
The World Health Organization made loneliness a global health priority in 2023. The US Surgeon General called loneliness a national epidemic the same year. And the crisis is a public health issue, as research has found that people who experience social isolation had a 32% higher risk of dying early compared with those who do not.
