Sherry Turkle, MIT professor and technology researcher, warns that society is losing authentic human connection as we delegate relationships to machines. After studying human-computer interactions for 30+ years, she observes that people increasingly prefer digital communication over face-to-face interaction, compromising our ability to interpret nuanced emotions in others.

Turkle coined the term alone together to describe our paradoxical relationship with technology. She documented how children bond with social robots in ways they don't with other toys, creating relationships that inevitably disappoint. Her research shows married couples now prefer online arguments and people text during funerals—signs that technology has taken precedence over genuine human connection.

The impact on children particularly concerns Turkle. With parents distracted by phones, playground accidents have increased while children report feeling unseen. "These kids are extremely lonely," she states. While online allows us to present a perfect version of ourselves, Turkle argues we've sacrificed the authentic, messy, and real aspects of human relationships—what she calls the raw, human part of being together.