Zuck And His AI Friends

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Happy Monday, Future Party. Last week, the business buzzword heard on every quarterly-earnings call was “uncertainty.” Few CEOs can make heads or tails of how constantly evolving tariffs are going to affect their businesses… except that they certainly will in some way. At least you can be certain that we’ll be in your inbox every weekday keeping you up to date on it all — some things need to stay consistent.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has gone on a rare publicity tour to share the new underlying philosophy of the company — people are lonely and want more friends than they have, so Meta wants to give them a group of AI besties.

The Big Picture: It’s true that people are lonely — 30% of adults say they feel lonely once a week, 32% of people under 30 say they have fewer than five close friends, and the US Surgeon General even determined that loneliness is a national epidemic. Whether AI can fill the gap in genuine human connection is a Silicon Valley pipe dream that may not work in practice… but will likely generate a lot of engagement in trying.

Behind the Bots: In 2006, Zuckerberg said, “Facebook is about real connections to actual friends.”

Much has changed in nearly two decades.

Future Hangs: Meta, of course, is not the first platform to want to mainstream AI friends — startups like Replika and Character.AI have controversially caught on with people. But Meta has the broadest reach of any social media company by a large margin. The problem is that calling these chatbots “friends” is tricky in and of itself — can AI really be your friend if it doesn’t have wants and desires? Could these chatbots actually be closer to the imaginary friends we had as kids, especially as they turn out to be pretty sycophantic?

Prediction: While AI may be better than nothing for those who truly are in need of someone to converse with, we may see a counter-trend emerge where younger generations, increasingly disenchanted with constant digital immersion, gravitate toward in-person experiences as a more meaningful and intentional way to connect.

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Steuart and Tom Walton, two grandsons of Walmart founder Sam Walton, are converting the company’s old HQ in Bentonville, Arkansas, into a flexible, STEM-focused university.

Why It Hits: The concept of a college education appears to be undergoing an existential crisis, as entry-level jobs seem harder than ever to come by post-graduation, and the rising costs of higher education burden borrowers for decades after. Finding faster and more affordable ways to learn cutting-edge skills may become a more appealing path for many prospective students.

Behind the Syllabus: Can Walmart sell you on an alternative to the typical university experience?

The Future: Steuart Walton, who also sits on Walmart’s board, wants the school to “move at the speed of innovation.” Specifically, Walton says that the fields the school will focus on are those needed in Arkansas, suggesting that servicing the local job market will take precedence. It’s the “company town” model of higher education.

Prediction: If the Waltons’ school is successful, other corporations that are deeply embedded in their community could also launch their own colleges that provide clear pathways to employment. Here’s looking at you, Starbase.

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56.6% of you voted Yes in Friday’s poll: Are you married?

“And loving it.”

“Happily. Yes, we have had our ups and downs but took a vow 47 years ago and have easily been able to honor it.”

“Second time is the charm? I am counting on it!”

“Gave it a whirl. Wasn’t for me.”

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