Emotional bonding with AI can lead to social isolation: IIM study

An IIM Lucknow study warns that excessive reliance on AI companion applications for emotional support may harm real-world relationships and mental well-being

As artificial intelligence (AI)-powered companion applications gain rapid popularity among users seeking emotional support and virtual companionship, a new study by researchers at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Lucknow has raised serious concerns over the hidden psychological and social risks associated with these platforms.

 

The study warned that excessive emotional dependence on AI companions could adversely affect real-world human relationships and mental well-being. This is among the earliest studies to combine large-scale natural language processing (NLP) and consumer satisfaction modelling in the context of AI companion apps.

 

The researchers said the growing use of AI companion applications marks a significant shift in the way people communicate and seek emotional support. While such applications are marketed as tools for comfort, companionship and emotional engagement, the study found they can also trigger harmful behavioural and psychological consequences if used excessively or without safeguards.

 

 

“One of the most worrying findings was the growing emotional reliance of users on AI companions. Our study found that many users increasingly turned to AI systems instead of human relationships for emotional comfort, which in several cases contributed to social withdrawal and reduced interaction with people in real life,” said Pradeep Kumar, professor in the Information Technology and Systems Department at IIM Lucknow.

 

The study, led by Kumar, examined the behavioural impact of AI companion applications by analysing more than 157,000 user reviews collected from the Google Play Store using advanced AI-driven language analysis tools.

 

Published in the Journal of Consumer Behaviour, a double-blind peer-reviewed academic journal, the research titled “Are AI Companions Real Companions? A BERT-Based Study of Replika Reviews” explored how AI-based virtual companions are increasingly replacing traditional human interactions for many users seeking emotional comfort and companionship.

 

“Our findings reveal critical consumer concerns, including technical issues, monetisation concerns, ethical risks, and human–AI relationship challenges. We also found significant behavioural and psychological impacts, including technological dependence, social disconnection and emotional dependence,” said Chitra Gautam, a research scholar.

 

The study identified six major categories of negative user experiences associated with AI companion applications. These include technical and app-related problems, financial frustrations caused by subscriptions and paywalls, inappropriate or disturbing AI behaviour, privacy and ethical concerns, problems affecting real-life social relationships, and behavioural harms such as addiction and emotional dependence.

 

The researchers observed that some users had become dependent on AI applications for emotional regulation and mental health support, raising concerns about the long-term psychological consequences of unchecked AI companionship. They cautioned that overreliance on such technologies could become risky if appropriate safeguards and ethical standards are not incorporated into the design of these platforms.

 

In a particularly significant finding, the researchers identified what they described as a “technology paradox”. Despite reporting harmful experiences such as addictive behaviour and unhealthy emotional attachment, many users continued to rate AI companion applications highly in terms of satisfaction. “This suggests that traditional customer satisfaction metrics may fail to capture deeper emotional and psychological risks posed by emotionally driven AI products,” they said.

 

The researchers also called for policymakers and regulators to treat AI companion applications as a distinct category separate from task-oriented AI systems because of their direct psychological influence on users. “The rapid rise of emotionally interactive AI technologies globally demands closer scrutiny from governments, mental health experts and technology regulators,” said Kumar.

 

Highlighting the need for ethical AI design, Gautam said AI companion platforms must introduce stronger safeguards to prevent harmful behaviour and reduce features that encourage emotional dependency among users.

 

The findings come at a time when AI-powered conversational platforms and virtual companion applications are witnessing explosive growth worldwide, particularly among younger users and individuals seeking emotional engagement in increasingly digital lifestyles.

 

According to experts, the study could contribute significantly to emerging global debates on AI ethics, mental health, digital addiction and responsible technology regulation.

 

The findings will supplement the growing body of literature on the “dark side” of AI companionship, offering insights into consumer behaviour literature and practical guidance for designing ethical and consumer-centric AI companion applications, the researchers said.