They are a feature that capitalists think will be useful - of course they are ultimately meant to make you spend more money. It’s not inconceivable that means they’ll make your visit to a site more pleasant (so you’ll be likely to come back to spend more).

That said, it’s also The Thing To Do these days to put AI into everything, whether it’s actually useful or not. So whether or not any particular AI assistant will be helpful or not is anyone’s guess and you’ll have to try them to see. Any AI assistant I’ve interacted with has been decidedly less than helpful and just barfed up what information I could’ve found more easily on my own.

• hey gym assistant, does the subscription include a trainer showing me how stuff works?
• the subscription includes a personalised training plan :)
• okay but will your staff show me how the equipment works?
• the personalised workout plan is included in the subscription and is personalised to you by our staff :)
• i am a total beginner, never been to the gym, will your staff show me how to use the equipment if i don’t know how to use it?
• our staff will help you design your workout plan personalised to your individual fitness level. sugar free drinks are included in the subscription too :)
• you’re not answering my question. i don’t want to know about the personalised workout plan or the drinks. i need to know about the equipment in the gym. is there anyone who can teach me how to use the equipment so i don’t hurt myself?
• i’m sorry, i don’t know that :( hey but our subscription is awesome :)

True story.

(I ended up assuming they’re not going to show me shit.)

And that’s Youtube, an entirely different place that isn’t the topic of discussion here and that’s ALSO always been Like That. Never Look At The Comments is received wisdom.

But that’s humans? It’s always been like that, everywhere at all times. The only thing that’s changed, maybe, is that Lemmy is growing and there’s more discussion in general so of course the absolute number of things that cause name-calling has grown too, just like the absolute number of things that don’t.

You’re doing an excellent job of understanding gender.

You’ll have to be more specific. I’m not seeing any unusual amount of negativity.

What’s that thing about expressing any passion? What do you mean by that?