Does the term "Artificial Friend" resonate at all with you? What's the difference in the level of interaction between children and their "artificial" versus their real/human friends?

Does the term "Artificial Friend" resonate at all with you now, as a contemporary reader in the age of social media and the internet? What's the difference in the level of interaction between children and their "artificial" versus their real/human friends?

I try to limit my dependance on social media, because having hundreds of “friends” on Facebook or Instagram is not comparable to having real friends. Virtual friends are like the artificial friends in the novel: if they don’t do what you want them to do, you can turn them off or block them. Real human friends have their own thoughts and don't always react in ways that please you. But we are made to be social animals and need that give and take in our relationships. Ishiguro shows us what a future might look like where people live apart and only some people are selected to have a good life.
One of the saddest things about living through the pandemic was seeing the isolation from friends and the effect that had on young children. Parents also suffered from isolation too, of course. Many schools found when they resumed classes that children had trouble getting along with their peers and working together.
Our society seems to have become more fragmented and angry from our experiences over the last two years. I am an optimist and hope we will come out of this realizing that we need each other!

I've seen the very lifelike robots in tv news broadcasts, and I think it's scary to see how real they appear to be physically. They are, of course, artificial, man made, not real. But to use the word "friend" with its connotations of personal connection, shared life experience, love/affection seems to put a futuristic twist into the mix. Is it possible to manufacture friendship? I don't think it's possible no matter how far technology advances: human friendships with all of their "messiness" are real, vital, and essential. I think the author uses the term AF to guide the reader to question whether in the future we want to trade the real for the artificial even in such important daily interactions with other humans.

Many children during their younger years have an AF .
Also favorite toys are in fact similar so it is not too hard to see why an AF is needed in this weird “new “ society.

I don't like the term "artificial friend" in this instance. There wasn't anything artificial about Klara's friendship with Jose. She was a true friend - in fact more of a friend to her than most of the children in her cohort. I'm not sure what the correct term would be (although I kind of like Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy calling them "Your plastic pal who's fun to be with," LOL).

The term "Artificial Friend" didn't concern me. I agree with Shan's comments regarding the many toys that young children have today that become their friends. The AFs in this story are just an "enhancement" to that.

As referenced in Anne C.'s comments, I didn't even think about the use of social media as a "AF" today. I don't use any social media (not because of the artificial friend aspect) but I value my privacy. But I do agree with Anne C. that friends in Facebook are not friends in the true sense of the word. They are more similar to an AF (but not as useful).