Can AI Companionship Foster Sociability? Promises and Pitfalls of AI-Mediated Leisure Among Vulnerable Populations
Abstract Loneliness has become a public health concern that disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, including LGBTQ+ individuals, adolescents, people with disabilities, older adults, and ethnic and racial minoritized groups. This paper situates AI companionship as an emerging form of AI-mediated leisure with...