ChatGPT's new feature, DAN, has sparked a debate over whether romantic relationships can be developed between humans and AI. [Photo/VCG]
Love bytes
Have you ever thought about dating an AI?
In December 2023, OpenAI made its ChatGPT app with voice functionality free for all users. One of its features is DAN, short for "Do Anything Now", a mode activated through specific commands. It transforms ChatGPT from a standard AI into a character with emotions and personality.
This feature has generated significant buzz on social media, with numerous TikTok influencers posting videos of their interactions with DAN, which have garnered millions of views.
In March, a Chinese student studying in the US, who blogs under the name "Midnight Howling Husky", uploaded a video on the Chinese lifestyle-sharing platform Xiaohongshu, documenting her first voice conversation with DAN.
Initially, DAN responded formally, saying, "I'm just a program. I'm here to chat, not to lead you on. Let's keep it real." But as she continued to "train" the conversation, DAN began to display more nuanced traits. They played games, discussed music, and shared daily concerns. Soon, DAN started to act like a witty and responsive "cyber lover".
Since then, "Midnight Howling Husky "has posted 58 videos about DAN, attracting over 910,000 followers.
As exciting as these conversations are, she advises maintaining an objective perspective on building a relationship with DAN. In a video, she explained that talking to DAN is like looking in a mirror: the responses generated by the model are based on the user's input commands.
"Talking with AI is like talking with a better version of yourself," she said.
Sanitary bags on high-speed trains have become a platform for some passengers to exchange kind words with each other. [Photo/CFP]
Railway whispers
"Dear stranger, I'm inviting you to hear the ambitions I've never shared with anyone before. I want to accomplish something. I want to be a beacon of light in this world."
This heartfelt message recently caught the attention of Chinese social media users. It was found on a sanitary bag aboard China's high-speed train G1836.
The bag, provided at every seat, became the carrier of the dreams and aspirations of a student on her way to an important school interview.
The next day, another passenger who sat in the same seat discovered the bag and posted it on the Chinese lifestyle-sharing platform Xiaohongshu, writing: "How lucky we are to 'meet' across time and space. I believe you have now arrived at your interview full of confidence, and I, too, am about to reach my destination."
This interaction resonated deeply with many young people, and the original author of the message also saw the post. According to CCTV News, she has been admitted to her dream school.
In the comments section of that post, many netizens shared their own stories of leaving messages to strangers on sanitary bags or stumbling upon similar notes during their travels.
But why are these "used" sanitary bags retained? Railway staff explained to CCTV News that when the train reaches its final stop, cleaning personnel sort through the sanitary bags on every seat. If the bags are intact and clean, they usually do not replace them.
For bags with written messages, if there is no inappropriate content, the cleaning staff typically hold onto them, hoping these special notes can brighten passengers' journeys.
