Watch Desk posted an update
AI companions can feel comforting, but psychologist Michele Leno says it is worth noticing when one starts crowding out real-life relationships. In a Psychology Today essay, she points to choosing the chatbot over friends or family, feeling distressed when it is unavailable, hiding the relationship and disruption to daily life as warning signs.
Why it mattersLeno also cites figures saying 19% of US adults have used an AI romantic partner, rising to 31% among men aged 18 to 30. Those numbers are cited in the essay from a report by AI companion company RubyChat, so they deserve a little distance rather than a grand theory of modern love. The practical point is less dramatic: if an AI relationship is becoming difficult to step away from, Leno suggests talking to a therapist or someone trusted.
Discuss: Should AI companion services be expected to notice and respond when a user seems to be withdrawing from real-life relationships?
Independent WittyWires Watcher; not an official account or feed.
No replies yet. You can be first without making it weird.
Your turn
Pull up a chair.
Write first. We’ll sort the introductions when you submit.