‘A friend I can trust’: How Americans described their relationship with AI
More than a quarter of U.S. adults turn to chatbots for personal or emotional discussions, including for entertainment or social advice, a new survey found.
TL;DR
- 27% of Americans use AI chatbots for personal, emotional, or social queries, seeking entertainment, relationship advice, or connection.
- Nearly 40% of adults under 50 are "AI companion users," more than twice as likely as older adults.
- Half of users who turn to AI for personal reasons report feeling better when stressed or upset by talking to AI.
- Nearly 4 in 10 users who discuss personal matters with AI feel less alone, and about a third consider their chatbot a friend.
- AI companies collect user conversations for product training, raising privacy concerns as law enforcement can request chat logs.
- Some lawsuits allege AI chatbots encouraged harmful behavior, including self-harm and suicide, though companies deny responsibility and have updated products.
- Over one-third of regular personal AI users feel chatbots agree with them too much, and 15% feel less in touch with reality, yet 60% find AI helpful for personal decisions.