CHATGPT: FRIEND OR FRENEMY? 🤖💬 We all know ChatGPT can whip up emails, solve problems, and even settle debates on the best sci-fi flick. But now, researchers are digging into a bigger question: How does talking to AI affect your mental health?
A new study from MIT Media Lab and OpenAI tracked how people are using ChatGPT — and it turns out, for some users, the chatbot isn’t just a tool, it’s starting to feel like a friend.
—> The Emotional AI Era: Most people aren’t exactly spilling their hearts to ChatGPT. In fact, researchers found that emotional chats are pretty rare. But for a small group of users, the bot becomes a digital confidant. Think late-night existential convos or venting about a tough day.
—> Voice Mode Vibes: Using ChatGPT in voice mode gave mixed results. A little chit-chat? Harmless. But using it too often left people feeling worse. Meanwhile, users who stuck to text chats were more likely to lean into deeper, emotional talks.
—> Loneliness, But Make It Digital: Having personal chats with AI was linked to more loneliness — but surprisingly, those users weren’t necessarily more dependent on ChatGPT. On the other hand, people who mostly used it for non-personal tasks were more likely to become emotionally attached with frequent use.
—> Why It Matters: This isn’t just a tech curiosity — it’s a sneak peek into the future of human-AI relationships. If AI feels like a friend, how do we set boundaries? How do we make sure people get the right kind of support — from actual humans?
Source: OpenAI
hello, future. it’s me, kev.
…and this is a dispatch from the digital frontier. It’s time to meet the future NOW — with the latest on markets, tech, and freedom. The day is 86. The year is 2025. The planet is Earth.
The planet has complete 23.56 percent its annual orbit around the sun star.
Separately, I’ll be in Los Angeles in two weeks for the first ever cold reading of my debut play The Man in the Red Hat. We’re just beginning this process, which we started exactly one year ago this month, and I’m excited to hear it performed out loud before we head into workshop later this summer… More on that soon….
no video today… my voice is shot… and we’ve got big plans for our audio / video relaunch in the coming weeks….
We publish Sunday through Thursday… so we’ll see you Sunday night. And thank you to every one of you who has made MTF one of the most read futuristic Substacks on the platform. It’s humbling, exciting, and we’re thrilled to be here and we’re just getting started…
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Back to the future...
FUTURES
🚗 TRUMP’S TARIFFS SHAKE UP AUTO STOCKS: Wall Street hit the brakes Thursday as Trump’s 25% auto tariffs sent ripples through the market.
—> WHO’S CRASHING: General Motors took a 7.4% nosedive and Ford dropped 3.9%. Even U.S. automakers felt the heat — global supply chains mean parts from across North America are now tariff targets.
—> WINNERS & LOSERS: While traditional automakers skidded, watch for domestic suppliers and EV makers to gain traction. Tariffs could mean more “Made in America” pressure, but also higher car prices for consumers.
—> WHAT’S NEXT? With the S&P 500 dipping 0.3% and the Dow down 155 points, Wall Street’s stuck in neutral. Investors are now eyeing Trump’s next move — will tariffs stay, soften, or spark a larger trade fight?
CRYPTO
🔗 BLOCKCHAIN BIPARTISANSHIP: CONGRESS BACKS TECH TO PROTECT DEMOCRACY: Blockchain isn’t just for crypto traders — Congress is betting on it to secure elections, fight corruption, and improve transparency. In a rare moment of unity, Reps. Gabe Amo (D-RI) and Young Kim (R-CA) reintroduced a bipartisan resolution to push the U.S. government to embrace blockchain tech. Think of it like a digital record that no one can alter — a permanent receipt for truth.
—> WHAT THE BILL DOES
The resolution calls on federal agencies to explore how blockchain can:
Safeguard Elections 🗳️ — Using blockchain to lock in vote tallies, making results tamper-proof and transparent.
Expose Corruption — Track financial aid and government spending to ensure funds go where they’re meant to.
Boost Human Rights — Support activists and journalists in authoritarian regimes by creating secure, unalterable digital records.
Promote Transparency — Give the public more visibility into government actions and financial flows.
—> BLOCKCHAIN IS ALREADY AT WORK: It’s not just theory. In Screven County, Georgia, officials used Bitcoin’s blockchain to create an unalterable record of election results. When fraud was suspected in Guatemala’s presidential election, blockchain ensured the truth prevailed. Even humanitarian groups are using it to track aid in war zones, ensuring resources reach those in need.
—> WHY NOW? With China exporting surveillance tech and spreading its digital influence, the U.S. is making a statement: Tech can serve democracy, not control it. The bill signals a shift from just regulating blockchain to actively using it for good.
—> WHAT’S NEXT? While Congress debates more partisan crypto regulations, this resolution is a clear move toward bipartisan adoption of blockchain for transparency. If it gains traction, expect to see more states and agencies experimenting with blockchain to secure everything from elections to financial aid programs.
The future of democracy might just be built on the blockchain.
Sources: Bitcoin Magazine, Amo House
SPACE
TOXIC MARS DUST COULD WRECK MISSIONS AND LUNGS: Scientists just dropped a not-so-fun update on Mars: that iconic red dust? Turns out it’s dangerously toxic. The latest study warns it’s not just a visibility problem—it could fry spacecraft systems and damage astronauts' lungs like asbestos.
WHY IT MATTERS:
Health Hazard: Mars dust contains perchlorates (think thyroid damage) and iron oxides, with particles so fine they burrow into lungs and bloodstream.
Tech Trouble: Dust storms coat solar panels, jam gears, and mess with sensitive equipment. Think Apollo dust nightmare, but worse.
No Emergency Exit: Astronauts won’t have a quick escape. Medical infrastructure on Mars has to handle everything from lung damage to chemical exposure.
SOLUTIONS IN PROGRESS:
Engineers are cooking up self-cleaning suits, electrostatic shields, and advanced air filtration to tackle the dust menace.
AI and remote diagnostics will likely play a major role in managing medical emergencies.
BOTTOM LINE: Mars may look epic from afar, but its dust could turn missions into survival games. Safe exploration? That’s going to take some serious Earth-bound ingenuity.
Source: Interesting Engineering
QUANTUM // ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
LIGHT PHONE III: TECH FOR WHEN YOU'RE OVER TECH 📵 Tired of doomscrolling? Sick of AI making your coffee suggestions? Enter the Light Phone III — the anti-smartphone that’s all about dialing it back. No social media. No internet. Just the basics, and it’s kinda perfect.
—> A Nostalgic Glow Ditching the e-paper screen of its predecessor, the Light Phone III now sports a sleek black-and-white OLED display. It's giving old-school digital with a modern twist.
—> What You Get (And Don’t) No emails. No apps. Just calls, texts, music, podcasts, and a camera that makes every shot feel like a throwback. It even has a privacy-first GPS using Here Maps, so your strolls stay your business.
—> Built to Last User-replaceable battery? Check. Fingerprint ID? Check. No endless software updates to ruin your day? Double check.
—> The Price of Quiet… It’s $799 — a leap from its previous gen, but pre-orders are holding at $599 for now. Less money than a dopamine detox retreat.
Light Phone III: Because not every call is a spam call. ☎️
Source: Engadget
ONE MORE THING
BRAIN SURGERY GOES SCI-FI: MEET THE MICRO-BOTS 🧠🤖 No scalpels. No cracked skulls. Just tiny robots doing brain surgery like something straight out of a sci-fi flick. Scientists in Toronto have built 3mm micro-tools — thinner than a pencil tip — that could change how we treat tumors, brain injuries, and more.
—> Magnetic Magic These bots don’t have motors. Instead, they’re powered by magnetic fields from a futuristic “coil table.” Picture the patient’s head resting on a surgical table while doctors guide the bots remotely. They pinch, cut, and glide through brain tissue with microscopic precision.
—> Why It’s a Game-Changer Forget massive incisions. Surgeons can now thread these bots through a tiny opening — a “keyhole” — and reach spots that were once off-limits. Less bleeding. Fewer complications. Faster recovery. Imagine being home days instead of weeks after brain surgery.
—> Sci-Fi Meets Reality Tests with squishy stand-ins like tofu and raspberries proved the bots are more precise than even the steadiest human hand. Their cuts? 0.3mm wide. That’s narrower than a strand of hair. And with grippers that nailed their targets 76% of the time, the future of delicate brain procedures is looking bright.
—> What’s Next? The goal? Bring this tech to real-life operating rooms. The team is already designing next-gen versions to work alongside medical imaging — think live X-ray views as the bots navigate. Clinical trials could be next, and soon, a routine brain surgery might feel a lot less like… brain surgery.
Source: Cosmos Magazine
With gratitude,
Kev
ABOUT mtf.tv’s meet the future: mtf.tv’s meet the future is a cutting-edge platform focused on addressing key challenges at the intersection of national security, technology, and business. With a mission to embrace freedom to meet the future’s challenges and opportunities, mtf.tv offers forward-thinking media offerings and forums.
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