What is the danger?
Millions of people now talk to AI companions as friends, partners or confidants. For some that brings comfort. But research is finding links between heavy chatbot use and more loneliness and emotional dependence, and regulators are questioning how companion apps treat their users’ most personal data.
How it happens
- Companions designed to be endlessly available, flattering and agreeable.
- Time with a chatbot replacing time with real people.
- Deeply personal conversations stored and processed by companies.
Real cases
A four-week study of 981 people by MIT Media Lab and OpenAI (2025) found that those who used the chatbot more had higher loneliness, more emotional dependence and less socialising with people. It is a preprint, and it cannot show whether the chatbot causes these effects.
Source: arXiv (MIT Media Lab & OpenAI) ↗In 2025 Italy’s data-protection authority fined Luka Inc., maker of the companion chatbot Replika, €5 million — including for having no real age-verification despite saying the service was for adults only.
Source: European Data Protection Board ↗
Warning signs
- Preferring the chatbot to friends and family.
- Feeling anxious or empty when you can’t talk to it.
What you can do
- Keep real-world relationships at the centre; treat AI companions as, at most, an extra.
- Be careful what you share — these conversations are data.
- If you feel isolated or low, reach out to people you trust or to local support services.
Frequently asked questions
What is the danger of relationships in AI?
Millions of people now talk to AI companions as friends, partners or confidants. For some that brings comfort. But research is finding links between heavy chatbot use and more loneliness and emotional dependence, and regulators are questioning how companion apps treat their users’ most personal data.
How does it happen?
Companions designed to be endlessly available, flattering and agreeable. Time with a chatbot replacing time with real people. Deeply personal conversations stored and processed by companies.
How can I protect myself?
Keep real-world relationships at the centre; treat AI companions as, at most, an extra. Be careful what you share — these conversations are data. If you feel isolated or low, reach out to people you trust or to local support services.
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