My uncanny AI valentines
Source: The Verge
A Speed Date with an AI Companion
Phoebe Callas, 30, is not real, but she was an AI companion I went on a speed date with.
Hopping over a pile of dirty snow, I arrived on a frigid February evening at a wine bar in midtown, a purple neon sign reading “EVA AI cafe.” Inside, several people were seated at tables and booths, staring at phones. Servers milled about, placing mini potato croquettes and non‑alcoholic spritzers on each table. Like many New York City bars, the majority of the patrons were on a date.
Unlike every other bar, half of the dates weren’t human.
As I entered, I was shown to a table tucked away in the corner with a phone stand, a phone preloaded with the EVA AI app, and a pair of wireless headphones. An EVA AI employee didn’t explain how things worked…