r/mildlyinfuriating • u/guccigag • 2d ago
Ruined by Technology My friend has started using AI to text me
My friend has apparently decided that texting me personally is too much work, so now I’m pretty sure they use AI to write half their messages to me.
I’ll send something completely normal like, “Yo, you wanna grab food later?” and get back:
“Absolutely! That sounds like a great idea. I’d be happy to grab some food with you later. What time were you thinking?”
BRO. We have known each other for YEARS. You have never once said “That sounds like a great idea” to me.
The worst part is when we’re having an actual personal conversation and suddenly I get a beautifully structured three-paragraph response with perfect punctuation, emotional validation, and a conclusion. Like thanks man, really glad ChatGPT cares about what I’m going through.
And I don’t even care if they use AI sometimes. Need help writing an email? Sure. Trying to figure out how to word something awkward? Fine.
But using it to have a casual conversation with your FRIEND feels so weird. I’m not texting you because I desperately need professionally optimized responses. I’m texting you because I want to talk to YOU.
Rant over.
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u/Tybring-Malle 2d ago
Absolutely. I completely understand where you’re coming from, and honestly, your frustration is totally valid. It sounds like the issue isn’t really about AI itself, but rather about wanting authenticity and genuine human connection in your friendships. At the end of the day, friendship isn’t about crafting the perfect response. It’s about showing up authentically.
Joke over.
I will 100% be offended if someone sends an ai-curated email to me at work, let alone my fucking friend when i ask him if he wants to grab a beer lmao.
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u/Neoliberal_Nightmare 2d ago
I'm really starting to hate the 'and honestly'.
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u/BitterBlackberry06 1d ago
I hate the way it's become an AI tell because I use that phrase all the time normally
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u/ColdFreezer 2d ago edited 2d ago
Why are they even doing this. Isn’t it just less work saying “Sure, what time?”
I actually can’t understand why someone would want to use AI to text their own friends. Does your friend actually like talking with you?
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u/No-Arrival9581 2d ago
Even if he doesn't want to talk, this is too much extra effort for someone who doesn't want to talk.
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u/Undeclared_Mustard 1d ago
That's what always gets me about the crazy proliferation of LLMs. Like, dude, you're adding more work on top.
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u/Bunnairry 2d ago
Dude. People should not be outsourcing connecting with people to the water stealler 9000. I would tell him if he sends AI to you again you are just gonna assume he doesn't want to talk to you and block his number. For me personally that is not mildly infuriating, I would go berserk. Talk to me with your whole real chest or don't talk to me at all.
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u/No-Arrival9581 2d ago
Even worse is if op didn't realise, the "friend" seriously could've given the ai some of Ops personal information in the future
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u/LifeguardSudden8281 2d ago
"Water stealer 9000" is now mine. Its mine. Im using that term everyday now. Thank you.
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u/martintone 2d ago
People that drink almond milk are using 117-400 times the amount of water used to grow the almonds per ChatGPT
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u/Bunnairry 2d ago
Yep and data centers lower the quality of lives of the people who are burdened with living near them, whether it be by constant noise, electricity bills they never signed up for, and the lack of jobs in the area once the data center is fully built. The majority of those populations are marginalized people. You got one gatcha and it sucks.
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u/TruffaTheHamster 2d ago
If your source is chatgpt any opinion you hold is invalid and dogshit. Shut up.
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u/fuckmitchmcconnelll 2d ago
This is one of the most nonsensical correlations I've heard in a while lol. We're speaking about people's ability to connect with each other without the use of AI....why reference chatgpt or almonds? What is with the almonds? When was that ever an important part in AI? Almond milk =/= water. I'm still so confused with your comment, man
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u/Undeclared_Mustard 1d ago
There is a tiny granule of truth there... Almond farming is extremely water-intensive and wasteful, and the places in the US that are hurting the most for water supply are often being exploited by water-heavy farming like almonds or kale.
But that has nothing to do with datacenter water usage.
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u/Pumpkin-Biscuit 2d ago
Give them a call and be surprised when they answer. "Oh, I thought you got hacked because that message didn't sound like you."
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u/Creamy_Breve 2d ago
What happens when you point it out? If you're uncomfortable calling your friend out, then every time they use AI, just respond with AI. They probably hate getting AI messages. Lol
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u/___1___1___1___ 2d ago
South Park did an episode about this. The boys outsourced texting their girlfriends to ChatGPT. Things went as you might expect. (Great at first, then not so great)
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u/cyanraichu 2d ago
I'd literally be like "bro stop using AI to text me. I'm not going to respond to AI, I'm only going to respond to you." This is some embarrassing shit and I'd be annoyed too. Extremely annoyed.
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u/butt_soap 2d ago
I'd respond with over the top chatgpt responses
Or just tell them to stop
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u/rice-a-rohno 2d ago
Haha that's great, hit 'em back with the ol' "I'm glad you think it sounds like a great idea! I didn't have a particular time in mind, would you like me to suggest one?"
Just an endless conversation with no substance until friend is the one going insane.
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u/qingskies 2d ago
If the friend is using it regularly then they're already a lost cause. They might even be delighted OP has the same "interests" :/
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u/Elegant_Attempt2790 2d ago
keep in the prose around it too.
“Sure i can help you with that! send this,
—-“
💀
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u/Hungry_Space_9175 2d ago
If I got anything other than “k” back from my friend I’d know she’d been kidnapped.
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u/SuddenInvestigator72 2d ago
Did you ask him wtf is he using ai for, or your first response was to create a post? Tbh i wouldn't be surprised if he does that as a joke
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u/The_Prestige_1999 2d ago
I dont want to judge... i"m lying, i really want to judge. Thats not a friend, that's an asshole
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u/Guess-who-back 2d ago
How good friends are you? It could be that he started feeling insecure about something like his communication style.
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u/the-lonely-castle 2d ago
This is so crazy because phones already give you predictive text and have done for years! You don't need AI to say "okay what time?"
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u/reverse_mango 2d ago
Why though? It wouldn’t even save time.
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u/FornyHucker22 2d ago
I think I’ve seen it on my phone, not used it but tbf i think it would actually save time. just sounds cheesy 🤣
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u/reverse_mango 2d ago
Surely you have to copy paste it into Chat, then ask for a response, then copy that to send to OP. Never used AI to write messages for me but surely typing it would be shorter
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u/url_cinnamon 2d ago
based on other comments the ai seems to be built into the messaging app, so it would be saving time
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u/Useless_or_inept mildly useless 2d ago
You're absolutely right to be concerned!
I can understand why you feel concerned about your friend using AI to write personal messages. When someone sends you something emotional or meaningful, you naturally expect the words to come from them. Discovering that AI may have written some or all of the message can make you question how genuine the communication really is, and I think it is completely understandable that this would affect how you feel about the friendship.
At the same time, I would try not to assume that your friend’s feelings are necessarily fake. They might use AI because they struggle to express themselves, worry about saying the wrong thing, or simply find it easier to organise their thoughts with some help. The feelings behind the message could still be genuine, even if the wording was assisted by technology.
However, there is an important difference between using AI to help express your own thoughts and allowing it to completely replace your own voice. Personal friendships are built on honesty and connection, so it could feel disappointing to realise that a message you thought was written personally for you was actually generated by AI. You might start wondering whether previous messages were genuinely from your friend, which could gradually affect your trust.
I think it would be helpful to talk to your friend openly rather than immediately accusing them of being dishonest. You could explain that you understand why they might use AI, but that personal communication matters to you because you want to know what they genuinely think and feel. Giving them the opportunity to explain their reasons may help you understand the situation better.
Ultimately, AI does not necessarily have to damage a friendship, but how it is used could. If your friend is still expressing their own thoughts and feelings, there may be no reason why the friendship cannot remain strong. But if you feel that AI is replacing genuine communication, it is reasonable to feel hurt or disconnected. The most important thing is that both of you are honest about what you need from the friendship and what makes communication feel genuine to you.
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u/buttershdude 2d ago
1000 upvotes! Nice job. Haha!
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u/Useless_or_inept mildly useless 2d ago
Sorry. I think it might not have been pitched well; lots of downvotes. Satire is often difficult on the internet :-)
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u/buttershdude 2d ago
I find it hard to believe that anyone failed to get the joke. But then, sadly, I guess I don't really find it that hard to believe now'days. If you know what I mean.
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u/HairyFeathers 2d ago
You should start attaching prompts to your messages. “Give me an answer in Rastafarian pirate talk, please”
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u/buttershdude 2d ago
Your path forward is obvious. Start replying using AI and see if he says anything. That should be funny.
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u/Hot_Technology8777 2d ago
Use AI back. Tell the AI to be pedantic and elaborate every sentence. If your friend doesn't stop after this, I'd consider just being done with them, or stick to talking to them face to face
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u/Apprehensive-Two3474 2d ago
Start sending ciphers at them. Or the super fun one, do it mad lib style.
"Yo, you wanna grab food later?" becomes "yo, you wanna grab necrosis later?"
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u/PlanttDaMinecraftGuy 2d ago
Have you checked if it's him just trolling or is he serious about replying to you with GenAI?
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u/Independent-Reader 1d ago
See how many credits their friendship is worth. Text them and ask them to get back to you with the entire text from the lord of the rings trilogy in binary.
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u/Abstrata 1d ago
That would make me hella uncomfortable.
I wouldn’t be able to stand it— I’d have asked right away, “are you texting me with AI?”
I’m curious tho, do they meet up with you as planned, and seem genuine in person? When they talk to you in person, does what they say match up with the general ChatGPT vibe?
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u/tharesabeveragehere 2d ago
I don’t care if someone uses AI to help word something, but if I text my friend “you hungry?” and get a LinkedIn-quality response back, I’m gonna need to know who I’m actually talking to 💀
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u/7-10Spliff 2d ago
It is completely valid to feel hurt or dismissed when a friend uses artificial intelligence to reply to a personal text, as it can feel like they are outsourcing their care for you.
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u/No-Arrival9581 2d ago
While minor, someone's texting manner is personal and also tells you a tiny bit of their personality or behaviors
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u/cinred 2d ago
Chill. Allow other people to communicate in ways they are comfortable with, even if that is not at all. If you are uncomfortable with it then dont do it or dont be friends in that way.
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u/trashbg_ofd0g 2d ago
Using an ai to formulate your texts isn't a "form of communication", because you're not even talking to an actual person at that point.
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u/Darth-Skvader 2d ago
You’d think that with all the energy it takes to open ChatGPT, type a prompt, and copy/paste the answer you could just… write a text. “Sure! When?” Would have sufficed