The notion that "every human interaction is worth preserving" is probably not right, and Waymos are showcasing this. As the author mentions, many people don't enjoy the forced small talk with Uber drivers. Interacting with people from different backgrounds and perspectives is important, but I doubt the forced interactions like taxi rides are where we were getting those until day.

Completely agree. I think there is a danger that we will loose important interactions because we don't need them, but there's also a chance that we skip unimportant ones and focus on important ones.

If being in a Waymo alone causes you to be more comfortable to chat with people on the phone, it can even have a positive effect, for example.

I think you're missing the point, which is not that every human interaction is worth preserving, but that convenience has a hidden cost.

People would rather not spend time and effort to help their neighbors.

People would rather not pick up trash they see on the side of the road.

People would rather not take accountability.

If these things become the default action, then you've traded something for the convenience, and that something might be non obvious until you feel it is missing.

The neighbors one, I think a lot of people will admit a certain loneliness and desire to have community back. I don't think a lot of people will actually give up the inconvenience for it though, the sedative nature of convenience is one of its core problems. The number of people I hear say with conviction they can't imagine living anywhere other than CA because they couldn't stand the weather anywhere else...