It’s not a time machine — yet. But MIT’s Future You chatbot feels a lot like one.
If you need important advice, turn to this AI model, the team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) says. The Future You chatbot connects you with your 60-year-old self, so you get advice from a wiser, more experienced version of yourself.
The team says these conversations can help people make better life choices and change how they approach health, work, and other important matters.
How does it work?
The MIT team reported that 334 volunteers took part in a trial of the chatbot. The researchers said the trial was fairly successful and that the model will be made available to the public in the near future, according to the Daily Mail.
To start a conversation with your 60-year-old self, answer a series of questions about your past and present life. While processing the data, the system will also age your photo so you can see a gray-haired version of yourself.
Responses are fed into the language model — OpenAI’s ChatGPT-3.5 — which generates “synthetic memories” to build the user’s backstory. The developers say talking to an older version of yourself can help you make better life decisions.
To illustrate their point, the researchers shared an example from the trial. One student told the chatbot she wanted to become a biology teacher. Later, she asked her 60-year-old self which moment in her career had been the most meaningful. The AI replied that it was when she helped a struggling student improve their grades and pass exams, adding, “it was very nice to see the student’s face light up with pride.”
Such advice helps to reassess your lifestyle.
Pet Pataranutaporn, the lead developer of the Future You chatbot at the MIT Media Lab, believes those interactions can provide real benefits. He says the technology can help people take breaks and engage in self-reflection.
Pataranutaporn says his most useful conversation was with a 60-year-old version of himself, during which the AI advised him to spend more time with his parents because they won’t always be around.
Researchers found that people who talked with their older selves felt less anxious, became more motivated to succeed, and adopted healthier habits.
The team says the chatbot still needs further development.
