$2,500 virtual assistant could worsen Japan's population crisis
- 6 years ago
TOKYO — Japan otakus may be like the prospect of intimacy with anime holograms, but the country's population problem may have just gotten worse.
Japan has a baby shortage, thanks in part to young Japanese who are shunning romantic relationships in favor of a two-thousand dollar holographic wife, reports Business Insider.
Gatebox is technically a virtual assistant like Amazon Alexa, but instead of a disembodied voice, you get Azuma Hikari, a character that's exceedingly cutesy and likes to talk.
It helps fill in an intimacy void, with the virtual character providing companionship without all the trappings of a messy, human relationship.
It even sends you messages throughout the day like a normal friend, or you know, wife.
All in all, Gatebox seems like a reasonably pleasant alternative to those of us who don't interact well with actual people.
Except, virtual relationships don't result in babies that help ease a declining birth rate, so while that void of intimacy may be filled, consider the population going, going, and soon, gone.
Japan has a baby shortage, thanks in part to young Japanese who are shunning romantic relationships in favor of a two-thousand dollar holographic wife, reports Business Insider.
Gatebox is technically a virtual assistant like Amazon Alexa, but instead of a disembodied voice, you get Azuma Hikari, a character that's exceedingly cutesy and likes to talk.
It helps fill in an intimacy void, with the virtual character providing companionship without all the trappings of a messy, human relationship.
It even sends you messages throughout the day like a normal friend, or you know, wife.
All in all, Gatebox seems like a reasonably pleasant alternative to those of us who don't interact well with actual people.
Except, virtual relationships don't result in babies that help ease a declining birth rate, so while that void of intimacy may be filled, consider the population going, going, and soon, gone.