Chat with Your Future Self: MIT's New AI Research Eases Anxiety and Negative Emotions

Let's assume you're not ready to give up yet. When you feel lost and anxious about life, don't you wish to talk to someone who has been through it all? However, finding a trustworthy mentor or elder is not always easy. What if, one day, you could talk to your future self? A recent study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) might just have a solution for you.

MIT has introduced an AI chatbot named "Future You," allowing users aged 18 to 30 to converse with a 60-year-old version of themselves. It customizes this future self using a variety of personal information, traits, and future goals. The study found that such conversations not only help reduce anxiety and negative emotions but also strengthen the connection with one's future self, a concept known as "self-continuity." I will discuss the benefits of increasing self-continuity later on.

Let "Future You" travel through time for a chat. (Source: MIT)

Self-Continuity: Is the Future Me Still Me?

"Self-continuity" might seem a bit abstract at first glance. It refers to the degree of identification and connection one feels between their present and future selves. Take procrastination, for example, which essentially involves passing responsibilities to your future self. If you have a high level of self-continuity, you'll realize that your future self is still you, and thus, try not to pile up tasks until the last moment, as the one who suffers will be none other than yourself.

From a psychological perspective, when people have a clear and positive view of their future, they feel more consistency between their future and current selves. This not only helps in enhancing personal investments towards the future, such as savings or education, but also improves mental health and overall quality of life.

What does your future self look like? (Source: MIT)

So, how can we enhance self-continuity? Previous studies have used methods like writing letters or creating virtual reality simulations to help participants experience their future selves' perspectives. While these methods have been somewhat effective, imagining a future version of oneself out of thin air is not so easy. Hence, the AI-based "Future You" was developed to construct a possible future version of oneself.

How Does "Future You" Work?

"Future You" currently offers a web-based service open to the public. Users start by filling out personal information; besides basic data, they also describe their expectations for future life, including career goals, financial status, family life, and lifestyle. These questionnaires not only serve as the foundation for the AI-generated self but also encourage users to deeply reflect on their future.

Next, users upload a front-facing photo, and the AI simulates what they might look like at 60 years old, further enhancing their identification with their future self. Finally, based on a prompt designed by the research team, this future version is endowed with unique memories, making the conversation more vivid and three-dimensional.

For instance, in the case shown in the image above, if the user's future goal is to become a biology teacher, then this "Future You" would engage in a lively discussion about the most fulfilling moments after successfully becoming a biology teacher.

Is Talking to Your Future Self Really Useful?

Now, let's return to this study to see if "Future You" really works. The study involved 344 participants, with males comprising 51.16%, females 44.19%, non-binary genders 3.78%, another 0.58% describing their gender on their own, and 0.29% choosing not to disclose their gender information. Participants' ages ranged from 18 to 30 years, with an average age of 25.05 years.

At the start of the experiment, participants completed a pre-test questionnaire covering their emotional state, self-evaluation, and future goals. Subsequently, participants were randomly assigned to one of the following four groups:

・"Future You" Group (Experimental Group): In addition to the pre-test, participants filled out an autobiographical questionnaire detailing their expectations for future life, including career, finances, family, and lifestyle. They then engaged in a 10 to 30-minute conversation with "Future You."

・Generic AI Chat Group (Active Control Group): Participants in this group interacted with a generic AI chatbot, with no restrictions on the conversation content, and the duration was also 10 to 30 minutes.

・Questionnaire Group (Active Control Group): Participants in this group only filled out the same autobiographical questionnaire as the "Future You" group but did not engage in a conversation with AI. This group was designed to assess whether self-reflection alone (through filling out the questionnaire) could bring about similar effects.

・Control Group (Neutral Control Group): Participants in this group only completed the pre-test and post-test questionnaires, without any additional interventions or interactions. Their data served as a baseline to evaluate the intervention effects of the other groups.

The research team assessed the psychological states of participants in all four groups. The results showed that participants who conversed with "Future You" experienced significant improvements in several areas, as highlighted below:

• Reduced anxiety and negative emotions: The "Future You" group showed a significant reduction in scores for anxiety and lack of motivation, with an average decrease of 0.63 points. In contrast, the control group's negative emotions increased. This indicates that conversing with one's future self can effectively alleviate negative emotions.
• Enhanced self-continuity: The "Future You" group's scores for self-continuity increased by 0.42 points, significantly higher than the other groups. They felt a stronger connection and identification with their future selves.
• Increased agency: Although the "Future You" group showed significant improvements in agency, participants in the "Generic AI Chat" group also made notable progress in this area, scoring 0.32 points higher than the control group.
• Other findings: Interestingly, there were no significant differences between the groups in terms of positive emotions, future considerations, self-esteem, optimism, self-reflection, and insight.

Based on the study results, the effectiveness of the "Future You" AI chatbot is confirmed. By conversing with their future selves, participants were able to reduce anxiety and negative emotions, enhancing their confidence and connection to the future.

Real-Test Experience: I Chatted with My 60-Year-Old Self

In the spirit of experimentation, I also entered the "Future You" test site and had a conversation with my 60-year-old AI self. However, perhaps because the AI's preset tone was overly positive (mainly focusing on emotional support), or because it lacked real-life experiences, I found it hard to see it as my true 60-year-old self. During the 30-minute conversation, I even felt somewhat alienated from this future version of myself (ha).

But this might be related to my age slightly exceeding the study's target range, as the research mainly targeted young people aged 18 to 30... Nonetheless, I still believe "Future You" can help many people. At the very least, it opens up the possibility of conversing with one's future self, giving people a chance to pause and think about their current and future relationship. If you're interested, you might want to give it a try and provide some constructive feedback for this study.