Kristina Lerman and David Chu at After Babel:
Researchers have only just begun to systematically explore the psychological dynamics of human-AI relationships. Recent studies suggest that AI chatbots have high emotional competence. For example, responses from social chatbots have been rated as more compassionate than those of licensed physicians [Ayers et al, 2023.] and expert crisis counselors [Ovsyannikova et al., 2025], although knowing the response came from the chatbot rather than a human can reduce perceived empathy [Rubin et al., 2025]. Still, chatbots provide genuine emotional support. One study found that lonely college students credited their chatbot companions with preventing suicidal thoughts [Maples et al., 2024]. However, most of these studies have focused on (young) adults. We still know very little about how children and adolescents respond to emotionally intelligent AI — or how such interactions may shape their development, relationships, or self-concept over time.
To better understand this phenomenon, we turned to Reddit, a popular online platform where people gather in forums to talk about everything from hobbies and relationships to mental health. In recent years, forums dedicated to AI companions have grown rapidly.
More here.
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