Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology hope that talking to your 60-year-old self can change your outlook on life, money and work. If instead of implementing plans, a person lies on the couch, eats fast food and does not put finances in order, it may be time to talk to your future self.
A time machine isn't available yet, but researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have created a chatbot that simulates an old user and shares life observations and wise advice. The main goal of the project is to inspire people to think more today about who they want to be tomorrow.
The chatbot's avatar is a photo of the user, but aged, with wrinkles and gray hair. The avatar generates believable memories and, based on the person's current aspirations, tells stories about their successful life.
“The goal is to encourage long-term planning and behavior change,” says Pat Pataranutaporn, who works on the Future You project at MIT’s Media Lab. “This can motivate people to make wise decisions that lithuania number data will affect their well-being in the long term.”
In one conversation, a student who hoped to become a biology teacher asked her 60-year-old avatar about the happiest moment of her career. The chatbot said that she became a biology teacher in Boston, is now retired, and one of her happiest memories is helping a student with learning difficulties improve his grades. “It was so nice to see the pride on the kid’s face,” the avatar said.
To interact with the chatbot, users first have to answer a series of questions about themselves, their friends and family, experiences that have changed them, and the future they dream of. After that, they have to upload a photo. The program “ages” it to 60 years old.
The computer will then feed the information into a large language model that will generate memories for the “old” avatar. This ensures that the chatbot will answer questions based on its backstory.
And the final part is the chatbot itself, based on GPT3.5 from OpenAI. It is a possible version of a user from the future and offers to tell about his life.
Pataranutaporn has spoken to his “future self” several times. The most insightful one for him was when the avatar reminded him that his parents wouldn’t always be around, so he should spend time with them while he can. “That session was an eye-opener for me, and I’m still impressed,” he admits.