AI chatbots are moving beyond answering questions and into one of the most human parts of life: companionship — raising a new question about what happens when simulated empathy begins competing with real relationships.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
MIT professor Sherry Turkle has released a new book, Artificial Intimacy: Who We Become When We Talk to Machines, examining what happens when people begin treating AI chatbots as confidants, companions and emotional support systems. Hachette Book Group
Turkle argues that AI can imitate warmth and empathy without actually experiencing either — and that relying heavily on those interactions could change what people expect from human relationships.
The issue is already moving beyond theory.
A 2025 Common Sense Media survey of 1,060 U.S. teens found 72% had used AI companions, while 52% used them at least a few times a month. Common Sense Media
WHY IT MATTERS
AI assistants were originally designed around tasks: answer a question, write something, find information or help complete work.
Companion-style AI changes the relationship.
The system can remember details, respond constantly, avoid arguments and shape its personality around the user.
That convenience may be exactly what makes the technology attractive — but it also creates a fundamentally different kind of connection.
WHO BENEFITS
People who feel isolated or simply want someone available to talk with may find AI companionship useful.
AI companies also gain deeper and more frequent engagement as users move from occasional questions toward ongoing relationships with their systems.
There may also be productive uses where AI encourages people to reconnect with friends, family or professional support rather than replacing those relationships.
WHO LOSES
The risk is greatest if AI companionship begins substituting for human relationships rather than supporting them.
Younger users deserve particular attention because they are still developing expectations around trust, disagreement, empathy and relationships.
Pew Research found 20% of U.S. adults ages 18–29 have used chatbots for emotional support or advice, while 7% have used them specifically for companionship. Pew Research Center
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
AI systems are likely to become more personal as memory, voice, persistent context and customized personalities improve.
That means the debate will increasingly move beyond whether AI gives correct answers.
The bigger question becomes:
What happens when the machine stops feeling like a tool — and starts feeling like someone you know?
