‘Meet my bot bestie’: Sharyn Ghidella on following Mark Zuckerberg’s advice

A cyber companion is always available, will never let you down and will never text you to say they are five mins away when they still haven’t had a shower, but how much companionship can an algorithm really give, asks Shayn Ghidella.

A robot takes part in the humanoid robot half marathon in Beijing on April 19, 2025. Dozens of humanoid robots took to the streets of Beijing, joining thousands of their flesh-and-blood counterparts in a world-first half marathon showcasing China's drive to lead the global race in cutting-edge technology. (Photo by Pedro Pardo / AFP)

If you happen to follow the musings of Meta maestro Mark Zuckerberg, you’d be aware that recently he informed us it was time we got some new friends.

Not the warm, cuddly, caring type we’re used to; not the ones who are always there for us – the ones we catch up with for coffee and a good old laugh; and not the ones who turn up in their pyjamas with wine, chocolates and a hug, when our latest relationship breaks down.

No, Mark Zuckerberg’s idea of modern companionship is to invite your phone or some other intelligent device into your friendship circle and program it to become your bestie.

Yes, he thinks if you want a new friend, personalised AI agents could easily fill that void.

Agents?? What, like from the CIA … the FBI … Maxwell Smart?

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Now, I’ve always thought Agent 99 with her Control of Chaos would make for a great drinking buddy (Oh, the stories she could tell about Maxwell!) but do we really want an agent of any description dropping around for a cup of tea?

Now in Mr Zuckerberg’s defence, at no point did he advocate that these bot besties would ever take the place of a real human friend.

The Meta CEO believes an AI buddy would function more like an adjunct to a friend; an alternative when we can’t call on the real thing; an artificial companion that could help address the ever-increasing problems of loneliness and social isolation.

In America, for instance, Mr Zuckerberg says the average person has fewer than three friends, yet we have the capacity and desire for connection with significantly more. He claims we could potentially accommodate up to 15 or so pals in our crew, but it’s unlikely we’re ever going to find those cloaked in human skin with a beating heart.

So enter the AI alternative. The cyber companion that is always available, will never let you down and will never text you to say they are five mins away, when they still haven’t had a shower.

Sharyn Ghidella. Photo: Network 10.

The algorithmic soulmate that always understands your feelings, would never ever talk you into doing karaoke – unless you’d finished the entire bottle of wine – and would always return your Tupperware.

The virtual therapist who could give you flawless advice on how to deal with a prickly boss; the code companion that could decode that weird dream you had last night; a digital BFF that would never ever pass judgment.

I mean what bot is really going to care if your own bot is still wearing the same pair of daggy tracksuit pants for an entire week.

Yes, I’m starting to see the merits of Mr Zuckerberg’s vision. He sees things so clearly. Must be those AI/AR/Ray-Ban Meta glasses he’s been wearing of late.

But while a silicon support system does sound very appealing, as we are well aware, life in the cyber world is not without its trials and tribulations.

You might be able to program a digital friend to meet your every need, but are we really ready for a friend who needs to be put on charge every night or needs the occasional firmware update to keep its emotional intelligence on an even keel.

What if we aren’t compatible. I struggle to “pair” a set of headphones to my mobile phone. How on earth am I going to successfully “pair” with a bot that’s clearly on a far superior wavelength to me.

And speaking of wavelengths, what happens when the Wi-Fi is down or you can’t remember the passcode. Your best friend won’t want you writing it down. This could be the shortest-lived friendship you’ve ever had.

And in all honesty, do I really want to take advice from an algorithm that last week informed me that if I wanted the skin of a supermodel, I just needed to rub banana peel on my face before going to bed.

Now that really is bananas. I mean these virtual companions can’t even open a bottle of wine. So Mr Zuckerberg, while I get where you’re coming from, you can keep your bots.

If I’m feeling lonely into the future, I’m not sure I’ll be seeking a new relationship in your virtual world. In fact, if I’m going to invite a new machine into my home, I’d really like it to do what machines do best – vacuum the floor and wash my clothes.

Now isn’t that the type of friend we all really need?