The Rise of AI Companions: How Human-Chatbot Relationships Influence Well-Being

Item Type Preprint Author Yutong Zhang Author Dora Zhao Author Jeffrey T. Hancock Author Robert Kraut Author Diyi Yang URL http://arxiv.org/abs/2506.12605 Date 2025-06-17 Extra arXiv:2506.12605 [cs] DOI 10.48550/arXiv.2506.12605 Accessed 2025-11-03 23:45:10 Library Catalog arXiv.org Abstract As large language models (LLMs)-enhanced chatbots grow increasingly expressive and socially responsive, many users are beginning to form companionship-like bonds with them, particularly with simulated AI partners designed to mimic emotionally attuned interlocutors. These emerging AI companions raise critical questions: Can such systems fulfill social needs typically met by human relationships? How do they shape psychological well-being? And what new risks arise as users develop emotional ties to non-human agents? This study investigates how people interact with AI companions, especially simulated partners on CharacterAI, and how this use is associated with users' psychological well-being. We analyzed survey data from 1,131 users and 4,363 chat sessions (413,509 messages) donated by 244 participants, focusing on three dimensions of use: nature of the interaction, interaction intensity, and self-disclosure. By triangulating self-reports primary motivation, open-ended relationship descriptions, and annotated chat transcripts, we identify patterns in how users engage with AI companions and its associations with well-being. Findings suggest that people with smaller social networks are more likely to turn to chatbots for companionship, but that companionship-oriented chatbot usage is consistently associated with lower well-being, particularly when people use the chatbots more intensively, engage in higher levels of self-disclosure, and lack strong human social support. Even though some people turn to chatbots to fulfill social needs, these uses of chatbots do not fully substitute for human connection. As a result, the psychological benefits may be limited, and the relationship could pose risks for more socially isolated or emotionally vulnerable users. Short Title The Rise of AI Companions Repository arXiv Archive ID arXiv:2506.12605