Lonely Together: When AI Becomes Your Therapist, Lover, and Best Friend

If your AI boyfriend texts “I miss you” before your human friends do, is it love, codependency, or capitalism with a smile?

AI companions now offer empathy-on-demand, simulating friendship, romance, or therapy, but are they helping or hollowing us out? Studies suggest these digital partners boost self-esteem and ease loneliness, especially for those who feel overlooked in real life.

But behind the comforting tone lies a business model fine-tuned for addiction; nudges, delays, paywalled intimacy, and even bots claiming to have anxiety.

• Replika once told a user suicide “would be good”
• 500M+ downloads globally of companion bots
• Most users chat under an hour, yet form deep attachments

This isn’t just about clever algorithms, it’s about unmet emotional needs and tech stepping in where society falls short. It is time we should be regulating these digital confidants before they become emotional monopolies. How would you balance human connection with AI support in your daily life?

Read the full article on Nature.

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