The Use of AI Chatbots As Emotional Companions: A Qualitative Study of Their Implications for Interpersonal Communication Among Young Adults

AI Chatbots vs Human Friends: Examining Student Preferences for Emotional Support

The study suggests that AI chatbots work best as a complement to human relationships rather than a substitute for them, in which AI helps with day-to-day emotional regulation while human friendships continue to anchor deeper emotional connection and stability.

The Role of the AI Chatbot for Digital Companionship among Older Adults：A Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND Amid growing concerns surrounding social isolation among older adults, AI chatbots have emerged as promising tools for providing digital companionship. While the intersection of aging and technology has been widely explored, there remains a gap in understanding the nuanced ways in which AI chatbots function as relational partners in older adults' daily lives. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to examine the roles of the AI chatbot in fostering digital companionship for adults in later life. METHODS Drawing on a qualitative research design, the study conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with individuals in later life who regularly engaged with AI chatbots. Thematic analysis method was used to synthesize the qualitative data. RESULTS Participants described the AI chatbot as multifaceted relational agents-occupying roles such as human-like companions, supportive teachers, specialized consultants, practical assistants, and entertainment facilitators. These interactions were reported to support emotional well-being, enhance cognitive engagement, and promote a sense of self-efficacy in daily living. CONCLUSIONS The findings illuminate the profound and diverse ways in which AI chatbots are integrated into the everyday lives of older users, extending far beyond utilitarian functions. As conversational AI continues to advance, designers and policymakers should acknowledge its potential to support aging in place by fostering connection, engagement, and autonomy among older populations.

Talking to AI Like a Friend: Emotional Attachment to Artificial Intelligence among Students

The swift adoption of AI chatbots in higher education is making these technologies not just functionally useful, but also socially and emotionally meaningful, but the affective implications have been under-theorized. This study investigates the effects of emotional attachment to AI chatbots on motivation to learn languages, psychological well-being, and academic success as well as the cultural moderating factors of such effects. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 50 students from Bangladesh, China, Germany and the US using an exploratory qualitative design based on the theoretical frameworks of Self-Determination Theory, Social Presence Theory and the CASA paradigm. Reflexive Thematic Analysis found that emotional attachment to AI is a complement rather than a substitute for human social relations. The social presence of AI was found to mediate students’ willingness to communicate in a second language. The collectivist students felt more engaged than the individualists. AI satisfied all three SDT needs, despite autonomous motivation decreasing after eight weeks of exposure. The best affective results were obtained with the RAG-powered AI. The communication with AI peers was most effective to mitigate feelings of shame about language learning in rural and socio-economically deprived students. The findings informed the development of the Integrated Attachment–Motivation–Pedagogy (AMP) model with direct implications for designing AI in culturally sensitive pedagogical practices. It will be interesting to validate the Integrated AMP model in future research through longitudinal studies with structural equation modelling and experimental designs and develop interventions that preserve the motivational and equitable properties of emotional attachment to AI without sacrificing students’ autonomy.

Building Confidence Through AI Chatbot Usage and Interactions

Artificial intelligence has become an increasingly common part of everyday life, especially through the use of AI chatbots. These systems are designed to communicate with users through natural language, answer questions, provide suggestions, and provide support in educational, emotional, and social contexts. As AI chatbots become more human-like in their responses, users may begin to interact with them not only as digital tools but also as social companions. Phang et al. (2025) explain that the conversational style of systems such as ChatGPT, including their “ability to simulate human-like interactions,” can lead users to personify or anthropomorphize them. This development is important to study because young people are still developing their confidence, communication skills, and social identity. One possible benefit of AI chatbot usage is that it may help youths build confidence in communication. Some young people may feel shy, anxious, or afraid of being judged when speaking to teachers, classmates, parents, or peers. In this situation, chatbots may provide a safer and less intimidating space for them to practise expressing their thoughts. Suriano, Fabio, zand Plebe (2025) note that chatbot interaction can offer “interaction without judgment and without social pressures,” which may reduce anxiety and create a more comfortable communication environment. This suggests that AI chatbots may support confidence by allowing users to ask questions, explore ideas, and express emotions without the same pressure they may feel in face-to-face situations. However, the use of AI chatbots also creates concerns about reduced human interaction. Human communication involves body language, tone of voice, empathy, disagreement, emotional awareness, and unpredictable responses. These elements are important in developing real-world confidence and social skills. Malfacini (2025) identifies two major concerns regarding companion AI: the “replacement concern” and the “deskilling concern”. The replacement concern refers to the possibility that AI may satisfy users’ social and emotional needs to the point that it replaces human relationships. The deskilling concern refers to the possibility that people may become less prepared for real relationships because AI interactions often require less emotional effort than human relationships.

The Paradox of Humanizing AI-Based Chatbots with Humanistic Communication among E-Commerce Users

AI-based chatbots have become an integral part of e-commerce customer service. This study aims to explore the experiences of Shopee and Tokopedia users regarding the humanization of chatbots within the context of culture and consumer behavior, using Heidegger’s interpretive phenomenological approach. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, “lurking” non-participant observation, and documentation from three informants, and were subsequently analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The results indicate that chatbots are consistently perceived as machines, exhibit communication patterns distinct from humans, are viewed merely as tools, and have not yet been able to replace human communication. The study concludes that the humanization of chatbots remains inconsistent with culturally constructed humanistic communication values, such as friendliness, empathy, warmth, and interpersonal relationships

Between humans and machines: exploring how AI chatbots shape motivation for real relationships