Related papers: AI Companions Reduce Loneliness
AI-companion apps such as Replika, Chai, and Character.ai promise relational benefits-yet many boast session lengths that rival gaming platforms while suffering high long-run churn. What conversational design features increase consumer…
As AI chatbots see increased adoption and integration into everyday life, questions have been raised about the potential impact of human-like or anthropomorphic AI on users. In this work, we investigate the extent to which interactions with…
Amid the growing prevalence of human-AI interaction, large language models and other AI-based entities increasingly provide forms of companionship to human users. Such AI companionship -- i.e., bonded relationships between humans and AI…
Long-term life task planning is inherently complex and uncertain, yet little is known about how emerging AI systems support this process. This study investigates how people use ChatGPT for such planning tasks, focusing on user practices,…
The use of chatbots for various forms of companionship is growing rapidly, raising a myriad of questions about simulated relationships, emotional dependence, and psychological harm. While major platforms such as ChatGPT, Grok, and…
Research in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) has shown that caring for others, including both humans (e.g., close friends) and computers (e.g., Tamagotchi), can have a positive effect on people's wellbeing. However, we know less about the…
The adverse effects of loneliness on both physical and mental well-being are profound. Although previous research has utilized mobile sensing techniques to detect mental health issues, few studies have utilized state-of-the-art wearable…
Advances in artificial intelligence (AI), together with persistent gaps in access to reliable emotional support, have positioned AI as an increasingly prominent source of emotional assistance. However, most AI-based emotional support…
Problem solving plays an essential role in science education, and generative AI (GAI) chatbots have emerged as a promising tool for supporting students' science problem solving. However, general-purpose chatbots (e.g., ChatGPT), which often…
A rapidly increasing amount of human conversation occurs online. But divisiveness and conflict can fester in text-based interactions on social media platforms, in messaging apps, and on other digital forums. Such toxicity increases…
As Conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes more integrated into everyday life, AI-powered chatbot mobile applications are increasingly adopted across industries, particularly in the healthcare domain. These chatbots offer…
Emerging reports of the harms caused to children and adults by AI sycophancy and by parasocial ties with chatbots point to an urgent need for safeguards against such risks. Yet, preventing such dynamics is challenging: parasocial cues often…
Objective: Domestic abuse cases have risen significantly over the last four years, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges for victims and survivors in accessing support. In this study, we investigate the role that chatbots…
Argumentative dialogues across political divides can reduce polarization, yet opportunities for citizens to engage with opposing views in accessible and structured ways remain limited. AI dialogue partners offer a scalable framework for…
Background: Empathy is widely recognized for improving patient outcomes, including reduced pain and anxiety and improved satisfaction, and its absence can cause harm. Meanwhile, use of artificial intelligence (AI)-based chatbots in…
Standardized surveys scale efficiently but sacrifice depth, while conversational interviews improve response quality at the cost of scalability and consistency. This study bridges the gap between these methods by introducing a framework for…
Artificial Intelligence (AI) for supporting healthcare services has never been more necessitated than by the recent global pandemic. Here, we review the state-of-the-art in AI-enabled Chatbots in healthcare proposed during the last 10 years…
The emergence of virtual companions is transforming the evolution of intelligent systems that effortlessly cater to the unique requirements of users. These advanced systems not only take into account the user present capabilities,…
LLM-based chatbots are now being specifically designed to facilitate social companionship, even romantic relationships, incorporating features that parallel human relationship dynamics. This has led a subset of users to form romantic…
Social interactions promote well-being, yet barriers like geographic distance, time limitations, and mental health conditions can limit face-to-face interactions. Emotionally responsive AI systems, such as chatbots, offer new opportunities…