A mother recently sued an AI company after her 14-year-old killed himself after his chatbot demanded the boy not cheat on it by dating actual girls.

That kind of obsession is possible, especially for people who are not fully formed,” Schmidt said during a podcast.

Humans are only just beginning to reckon with the implications of sharing our planet with synthetic entities more intelligent than ourselves. Life with AI will likely be the next chapter in human evolution, and, depending on our management of it, it could mean a flowering of human growth, a dystopia, or some mix of both.

Concerned about AI warnings? Find out what the former CEO of google has to say about artificial intelligence, and should you be worried or not?

Schmidt explained that these AI companions are designed to be "perfect," which makes them highly appealing but potentially dangerous. "That kind of obsession is possible," he said, especially for younger individuals who are still developing emotionally and socially.

Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO, said that "perfect" AI girlfriends could deepen loneliness and lead to dangerous societal consequences.

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has warned about the dangers of AI chatbots, particularly their potential to deepen loneliness among vulnerable young men. He highlighted the risks of emotional attachment to "perfect AI girlfriends" and called for greater parental oversight in the face of this growing concern.