The AI bros are lonely

AI enthusiasts are increasingly feeling lonely due to their deep immersion in the rapidly evolving technology, according to Business Insider interviews with several power users. Oscar Wong/Getty Images reports that one AI fan even suspects his feelings about AI contributed to a breakup, while another stated that his friends don't understand him, making him feel like he's "on an island."

Jeffrey Escobar, a 25-year-old from Miami, stayed home during his family's trip to a France vs. England World Cup match, as he couldn't leave his desk to work on AI. Escobar said it was hard for him to socialize and go on dates, as people around him don't understand his passion for AI. He attributes his loneliness to the lack of community outside of his cofounder in his AI app startup, Addicting Elements.

Kyle Smitherman, a 26-year-old from Houston, feels that his love for AI led to his breakup. He spent long periods building his consulting service, UnlockAI, which he said strained his relationship. His girlfriend couldn't grasp his work's complexity, making communication difficult.

Some AI aficionados have difficulty connecting with non-enthusiasts, causing rifts between friends. Vaibhav Kumar, a 32-year-old flight physics engineer in San Francisco and Las Vegas, described a dinner where his friend flipped out upon hearing about a Chinese AI model, Kimi K3, calling AI and data centers "evil." Kumar feels lonely as he has only one AI-loving friend while most of his friends don't want to hear about it.

To find a real-life AI community, some enthusiasts, like Jonathan Linton, an AI lead at an accounting firm and founder of Fresh Coast AI, have sought out events and online communities. While these efforts may help alleviate feelings of isolation, Linton notes that the AI community can still feel like being on an island, emphasizing the need to put in more effort to find like-minded individuals.