What does the future of dating look like? Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara think they have an idea. A project at the Computational Mate Choice Lab at USCB involves uploading personalities and relationship ideas and then allowing simulated characters to play out their relationships in the virtual world. Assistant professor Daniel Conroy-Beam says what happens in that virtual space could predict what may happen with couples in real life. His goal, he says, is to help people build happier relationships.
Would you put your relationship to this kind of test? If you're single, would you trust this kind of technology to help you make dating decisions? Is this all too "Black Mirror"? Our guests discuss it:
- Daniel Conroy-Beam, assistant professor and head of the Computational Mate Choice Lab at the University of California, Santa Barbara
- Shadi Kafi, teacher and writer
- Nicole Rahn, young professional