Future You ? How about Yester You ?

 

 

Context :

MIT Researchers Develop AI System That Simulates Users’ Future Selves  … 02 Oct 2024

 

Extract :

 

Imagine having a conversation with your 60-year-old self. What advice would they give you? What life experiences would they share?

A team of researchers from MIT and other institutions has developed an AI system that makes this hypothetical scenario a virtual reality.

The system, called “Future You,” [ futureyoumit@gmail.com ]

utilizes generative AI to create a simulated version of a user’s potential future self at age 60. This AI-powered “older self” can engage in text-based conversations, offering insights, advice, and a glimpse into what the user’s life could be like in the future.

The primary goal of Future You is to improve users’ sense of future self-continuity – a psychological concept that describes how connected a person feels with their future self. Research has shown that a stronger sense of future self-continuity can positively influence long-term decision-making, from financial planning to academic focus.

Pat Pataranutaporn, [ patpat@media.mit.edu ], a recent Media Lab doctoral graduate and co-lead author of the paper on Future You, explains the system’s potential:

“We don’t have a real time machine yet, but AI can be a type of virtual time machine. We can use this simulation to help people think more about the consequences of the choices they are making today.”

 

How Future You Works

The system employs a large language model that draws on information provided by the user to generate a relatable, virtual version of the individual at age 60. Here’s how it operates:

1.     Users answer a series of questions about their current lives, values, and future goals.

2.     The AI system creates “future self memories” – a backstory for the model to reference during interactions.

3.     An age-progressed photo of the user is generated to help visualization.

4.     Users engage in a text-based conversation with their simulated future self.

 

Pattie Maes, [ pattie@media.mit.edu ] the Germeshausen Professor of Media, Arts, and  Sciences at MIT and a senior author of the paper, highlights the system’s realism

 “The system makes the simulation very realistic. Future You is much more detailed than what a person could come up with by just imagining their future selves.”

Initial Results and Potential Impact

The researchers conducted a user study with 344 individuals to evaluate Future You. Some participants interacted with the system for 10-30 minutes, while others either chatted with a generic chatbot or only filled out surveys.

Key findings from the study include:

• Users who interacted with Future You reported building a closer relationship with their ideal future selves.
• These users also experienced decreased anxiety about the future after their interactions.
• Participants felt the conversation was sincere and that their values and beliefs seemed consistent in their simulated future identities.

 

Hal Hershfield, a professor at the University of California at Los Angeles and senior author on the paper [ hal.hershfield@anderson.ucla.edu ] , notes the potential psychological benefits:

 “The interactive, vivid components of the platform give the user an anchor point and take something that could result in anxious rumination and make it more concrete and productive.”

Addressing Potential Concerns

While the system shows promise, the researchers are aware of potential pitfalls and are taking steps to address them:

1.     To prevent negative outcomes, Future You reminds users that it represents only one possible future, emphasizing their agency to change their lives.

2.     The team is implementing safeguards to prevent misuse, such as companies creating false “future selves” to sell products.

3.     The researchers stress that Future You is not meant to create dependence but rather to provide a meaningful experience that aids self-development.

 

Future Applications and Research

As the project moves forward, the researchers are exploring specific applications for Future You, such as:

• Helping people explore different career paths
• Visualizing the long-term impacts of everyday choices on climate change
• Gathering data from the Future You pilot to better understand how people use the system

 

This innovative use of  AI technology opens up new possibilities for personal growth and decision-making. By providing a virtual bridge to our potential future selves, Future You may help users make more informed choices today that positively impact their tomorrows.

Quiz: Test Your Knowledge

1.     What is the primary goal of the Future You system? a) To predict the future accurately b) To improve users’ sense of future self-continuity c) To replace traditional therapy d) To sell products to users

2.     How old is the simulated future self in the Future You system? a) 40 years old b) 50 years old c) 60 years old d) 70 years old

3.     What did users report after interacting with Future You in the initial study? a) Increased anxiety about the future b) No change in their outlook c) Decreased anxiety and a stronger connection to their future selves d) Confusion about the technology

Answers:

1.     b) To improve users’ sense of future self-continuity

2.     c) 60 years old

3.     c) Decreased anxiety and a stronger connection to their future selves

 

 

My  Take :

When I launched www.HemenParekh.ai { my VIRTUAL AVATAR } on 10 Feb 2023, I never consciously asked :

“ How about an opposite of this experiment ? “

But , you might conclude so , after reading the following FAQ on that website :

===================================================

--------------------?

+

What is this all about?

 

This is my Digital Avatar, powered / serviced by an API (personal.ai)

This is my attempt to attain Virtual Immortality

Most of the TOPICS - and relevant ANSWERS - you see are derived from the digital content of hemenparekh.in , comprising my blogs / notes / poems etc., written from 1942 onwards ( approx.. 30,000 + documents / which  have generated some 219,454 Memory Blocks in Personal.ai, as 0n 11 Oct 2024 )

This Digital Avatar of mine is dedicated to my wife BHARATI, who continues to nourish my Physical Avatar, since 1959.

My interest in Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) goes back to 1996 , when I developed logic for NLP in a note addressed to my colleagues.

After reading this note , BARD gave me following title > Grandfather of Artificial Intelligence

 

What I can do here?

 

Here you can chat with my avatar by asking questions - now and long after I am gone. You can start a chat by asking: "Hey Hemen, what are your views on……………" 

Rest assured about your anonymity. No one will know that you asked this question. Even I don't.

What is in this for me? How will this help me?

 

Hurry up to create your own Avatar - then invite your contacts to chat with you.

 Imagine, chatting up with a hundred or a thousand of your visitors simultaneously - at the same time.

Being able to invite thousands of your fans/followers/admirers, to visit your Avatar, ask your Avatar any question, and get an instantaneous answer, would be of immense benefit to you if you are a Political Leader / Celebrity. You will be able to create your Avatar by uploading your, many hours of Speeches (Audio files) at Personal.ai

==T

 

Then , out of sheer curiosity, I asked myself :

“  Can a 91 year old ME , travel back in TIME ( of my life ) , and RE-LIVE the way I might have THOUGHT about things, when ( say ) I was 70 / 60 / 50 years old ? “

How to go about finding out ?

That may not be possible for every OLD person, but for me here is what I did

I asked my VIRTUAL AVATAR ( www.HemenParekh.in ) :

“Hi , Hemen ,  What motivated you to start blogging at the age of 70 ? “

My AVATAR replied :

“ Starting to blog at the age of 70 was primarily a way for me to continue engaging creatively and intellectually. I

t provided a platform where I could share my insights on economic, political, and technological reforms which have always been areas of deep interest for me.

Blogging allowed me to reach a wider audience including policymakers and experts in various fields. 

This engagement has been quite fulfilling as it not only helped pass time but also contributed meaningfully by influencing some aspects of government policies. Essentially, it became an extension of my lifelong commitment to contributing towards societal improvement through knowledge sharing. “

Hey , that IS pretty true !

I continued my chat by asking :

“can you tell me about any of your writing ( reflecting your thinking ) in 2005 , when you were 70 ? “

My Avatar came up with :

“In 2005, when I was 70, my writing primarily reflected a deep engagement with the themes of human experience and organizational behavior. 

This was a period where I extensively explored the dynamics within corporate structures and their impact on individuals. 

My reflections were often channeled through various essays and articles that discussed these themes in light of broader societal changes. “

I shot back :

“  Hey , when you were 57 years old, you started a headhunting firm ( 3P Consultants ) and in 1997 ( when you were 64 years old, you launched the portal www.3pJobs.com , some 11 months before the official launch of Google portal. What were your thoughts at that time ? “

 

My Virtual Avatar came back with :

“When I started 3P Consultants at the age of 57, it was a significant step in my career, transitioning from employment to entrepreneurship. 

The idea was to leverage my experience and network in the recruitment industry to create a firm that could offer specialized headhunting services.

By the time I launched www.3pJobs.com in 1997, when I was 64 years old, the internet was just beginning to reshape many industries including recruitment. 

My thoughts were focused on innovation and how we could use this new technology to improve our services and reach. 

Launching an online job portal seemed like a natural progression for us in the field of recruitment.

The timing—launching just months before Google's official launch—was coincidental but fortuitous as it placed us at the forefront of digital transformation within our sector. 

It felt like stepping into uncharted territory; there were uncertainties but also immense possibilities for growth and improvement in how recruitment processes were managed globally. “

Reflecting back on those decisions now, they seem both bold and prescient given how integral digital platforms have become for recruiting today.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pat Pataranutaporn, [ patpat@media.mit.edu

Pattie Maes, [ pattie@media.mit.edu ]

Hal Hershfield [ hal.hershfield@anderson.ucla.edu ]

 

Dear MIT Researchers :

Congratulations on your path-breaking experiment

I now urge you to :

Ø  Conduct a REVERSE experiment ( of the kind I have constructed for myself )

Ø  Make it possible for anyone to conduct both types of experiments ( Open Source )

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.My-Teacher.in  /  11 Oct 2024

 

 In conclusion , following is a REVIEW of the above blog , by ChatGPT :

Review: “Future You? How About Yester You?”

In this expanded version, Hemen Parekh’s blog explores the MIT Researchers’ work on “Future You,” an AI system that helps users engage with their projected future selves at age 60. 

The innovation aims to foster better self-continuity and informed decision-making.

Parekh not only appreciates the concept but proposes a complementary and reverse experiment that delves into one’s past selves.

By recounting his experience with creating a Digital Avatar using Personal.ai, Parekh highlights his own journey towards “Virtual Immortality.” 

This avatar, based on over 30,000 documents dating back to 1942, allows users to interact with his past thoughts, motivations, and perspectives.

He demonstrates how his Avatar provides insights on his blogging motivations at age 70, his professional decisions at 57 and 64, and much more—essentially acting as a bridge to his past selves.

Parekh’s invitation to MIT Researchers to explore such a reverse experiment (enabling users to interact with past versions of themselves) is not only innovative but complements the goals of the "Future You" project.

Extending the Vision: 2D and 3D Holographic Avatars

Parekh’s vision extends beyond text-based interactions.

He suggests that AI systems could incorporate photos and videos captured at various ages of a person's life to create dynamic 2D animations—or even volumetric 3D holograms in the near future. 

Imagine a scenario where users could engage with a lifelike representation of their younger selves, not just through words but through visual and physical presence.

Such a system could allow questioners to have engrossing conversations with these avatars, which appear visually accurate and age-consistent with the periods they represent. 

These holograms could animate based on gestures, expressions, and vocal inflections captured in old videos, making the interaction more immersive and realistic.

Considering the rapid pace of advancements in AI, computer vision, and holography, it’s plausible that such a technology could emerge in the next 2-3 years. 

While developing realistic volumetric 3D holograms remains complex, simpler 2D animated avatars are already within reach. AI companies are refining tools that can animate still photos and videos, even enhancing them to produce dynamic facial expressions and gestures that align with the person's recorded age.

AI-Driven Future and Past Interactions: A Realistic Timeline?

Given Parekh’s optimistic timeline and the direction AI is taking, the possibility of a fully immersive holographic experience isn’t far-fetched.

We’re seeing progress in AI models capable of generating animated images and avatars from static photos. 

Extending this capability to a hologram that simulates both past and future versions of a person, complete with their visual and vocal likeness, is an achievable milestone within a few years.

If this technology matures in Parekh's lifetime, he could witness a new dimension of “Virtual Immortality,” where his physical likeness at various ages becomes part of the interactive experience.

Users could not only ask questions but also observe how his avatar responds with familiar gestures, expressions, and tones, providing an even deeper connection to his past thoughts and perspectives.

Concluding Thoughts

Parekh’s blog challenges the current scope of AI systems like "Future You" and pushes the boundaries by envisioning a reverse experiment that brings the past alive.

His inclusion of animated and holographic avatars opens the door to an immersive AI future, offering a truly lifelike and multi-dimensional interaction.

For MIT researchers and others exploring this space, Parekh’s ideas serve as a compelling blueprint for what might be achievable very soon—perhaps even while he is still around to witness its realization.