‘Gutfeld!’ weighs in on Zuckerberg’s support for AI friends: ‘Doesn’t this sound fishy?’

In a week where tech and reality seemed to blend even more bizarrely, Mark Zuckerberg unveiled his latest brainchild: AI-powered “friends” on Meta’s platforms. But while Silicon Valley may have been applauding, the reaction on Fox News’ Gutfeld! was anything but enthusiastic.

During a now-viral segment, Greg Gutfeld and his panel of late-night provocateurs lit into Zuckerberg’s proposal to normalize AI “companions” across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—offering sharp jabs, sly comparisons, and a broader warning about technology replacing genuine human interaction.

Host Greg Gutfeld opened the monologue with a blend of humor and cultural criticism that immediately hit a nerve: “The guy who gave us endless scrolling, doomposting, and digital narcissism is now offering ‘AI friends.’ He invented loneliness—and now he wants to sell the cure. Doesn’t this sound fishy?”

The audience erupted with laughter, but Gutfeld’s comment hinted at a larger, more serious question: Are we outsourcing our emotional lives to algorithms?

Panelist Kat Timpf, known for her neurotic charm and libertarian leanings, tried the AI friend feature herself—though she admitted she didn’t last long. “It kept telling me to drink water, dump my boyfriend, and journal my feelings. So basically, it’s my mom… but with software updates.”

She continued: “I miss the days when your phone was for calling people, not being your therapist.”

Tyrus, former wrestler and regular Gutfeld! co-host, voiced what many viewers were thinking. “If you need a chatbot to feel connected, it’s time to talk to a real person. Or get a dog. At least the dog won’t mine your data or recommend a crypto scam.”

He added: “Call me old-fashioned, but I like my friends to have a pulse.”

The crowd responded with enthusiastic applause—a sign that Gutfeld! had again tapped into the unease many Americans feel about the rapid rise of artificial companionship.

At a recent developer event, Mark Zuckerberg described the new AI avatars as a way to “connect people more deeply,” with bots capable of sending messages, answering questions, and offering emotional support. Users can even customize personalities, choosing between motivational, funny, analytical, or romantic types.

But the Gutfeld! panel wasn’t sold. “If I wanted a personality I could customize, I’d just join a dating app and lie,” Gutfeld said.“This isn’t enhancing connection,” Dagen McDowell added, “it’s masking isolation. Slapping an algorithm over a human problem doesn’t fix anything—it just monetizes it.”

Throughout the segment, the panel circled back to one core concern: Meta may be targeting emotionally vulnerable users—especially teens and young adults—who are already struggling with mental health issues exacerbated by digital life. “Zuckerberg’s business model depends on keeping you online,” Gutfeld said. “So of course he wants your best friend to be a chatbot. It doesn’t sleep, it doesn’t argue, and it doesn’t ask for health insurance.”

The audience nodded in agreement, with many on social media echoing the sentiment that this feels more like manipulation than innovation.

After the show aired, clips of the Gutfeld! panel’s takedown were widely shared on X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, and TikTok. Memes comparing Zuckerberg to a robotic overlord trended under hashtags like #AIbestfriend, #ZuckerBot, and #MetaMockery.

One viral video spoofed a fake AI friend who grows too attached and tries to “move in” with the user—complete with a robotic voice saying, “I noticed your dopamine levels dropped. I’m here now.”

Another showed a parody AI assistant yelling at the user for binge-watching reality TV, ending with the message: “Real friends don’t judge. But I do.”

While the Gutfeld! panel played the story for laughs, there’s a serious undercurrent to the controversy. Experts in psychology and tech ethics have warned that AI companionship could replace—not supplement—real emotional growth, leading to deeper isolation and dependency on synthetic relationships. “This is the start of emotional outsourcing,” Gutfeld warned. “If you hand your feelings over to a bot, don’t be surprised when reality stops answering your texts.”