HAPPY BIRTHDA.I.:
No Longer in a Relationship, AI Confirms
Breakups are tough. But getting dumped by your girlfriend on your birthday? “man nightmare” That’s a whole new level of rough. Now, imagine receiving that news in the most robotic way possible—via an AI-generated summary of your texts. Yup, welcome to 2024, where Apple Intelligence just summarized a relationship break-up like it was a grocery list.
When AI Takes It Too Far “Man vs AI”
Meet Nick Spreen, a software developer from New York City, who found himself in the spotlight after sharing his surreal breakup experience. On October 10th, while running an early test version of iOS 18, Nick received an Apple Intelligence summary that read: “No longer in a relationship; wants belongings from the apartment.”
Yep, that was it. No teary-eyed emojis or lengthy explanations. Just a cold, emotionless sentence delivered by Apple’s cutting-edge AI—on Nick’s birthday, no less. His viral tweet on X (formerly Twitter) sparked millions of views, and a collective “yikes” from the internet. It turns out, Nick’s ex had texted him a series of messages breaking things off after an argument. But instead of getting the full, dramatic blow-by-blow, Nick got a dystopian cliff notes version, courtesy of AI.
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A Slippery Slope?
This wasn’t just an accidental glitch in Apple’s system. The company announced the notification summary feature back in June 2024, set to officially launch with iOS 18.1. While the feature is designed to make life easier by condensing texts, emails, and notifications, this is the first documented case of it summarizing a relationship’s end. And let’s just say, it didn’t exactly nail the nuances of human emotion.
In an email to Ars Technica, Nick recounted the full context of the breakup: “We had an argument in a bar, I got up and left, and she sent the text.” When asked how he felt about the AI summary delivering the bad news, Nick had an unexpected response. “It added a level of distance to it that wasn’t a bad thing. It felt unreal and dystopian,” he explained, but added that it wasn’t necessarily the worst way to get dumped. Kind of like having a personal assistant soften the blow for you—minus the emotional support.
Tech Etiquette
It’s no secret that technology has changed the way we communicate. But is there such a thing as too much tech in our relationships? Let’s take a quick trip down memory lane.
In the early 2000s, texting was still considered too impersonal for breakups. According to a 2007 survey by Samsung, only 11% of Americans thought it was acceptable to break up over text. Fast forward to today, and texting has become the norm for ending things. Heck, in 2023, Cosmopolitan even endorsed the breakup text, with author Kayle Kibbe writing, “I would take the breakup text any day.”
But here’s the kicker—breaking up via AI summary? That’s a whole new frontier. And while it may feel convenient for some, it certainly raises questions about where we’re headed. What’s next? Asking your AI assistant to craft the perfect break-up message?
A New Era of Communication
Apple’s AI isn’t the only one dabbling in the world of message summarization. Since March 2024, Google’s Android Auto AI has been summarizing texts while drivers are on the road. The technology is useful, sure—especially when you’re juggling tasks. But it’s clear we’re entering an era where the line between helpful and heartless is getting blurry.
One thing’s for sure—technology is here to stay, and our social norms are adapting fast. But maybe, just maybe, there are certain lines we shouldn’t cross. Like, oh, I don’t know, breaking up with someone?
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Is This the Future of Love?
As we march into a world of AI-powered convenience, it’s worth pondering whether some human experiences are better left untouched by algorithms. Sure, AI can summarize our shopping lists, remind us of appointments, and maybe even help us sort through our cluttered inboxes. But should it be delivering the most gut-wrenching news of our personal lives?
Maybe not. Or maybe this is just the beginning of a new age of emotional detachment, where bad news gets delivered by a machine with zero empathy. Either way, let’s hope the next update adds a little more humanity.
For now, Nick Spreen will go down in history as the first person to experience an AI-assisted break-up. But who knows, by 2030, maybe we’ll all be asking our AIs to handle the tough stuff for us—like delivering breakups, or maybe even marriage proposals.
What do you think? Would you let AI break the news for you?
Sources:
Man learns he’s being dumped via “dystopian” AI summary of texts – Ars Technica
