2023/11/17 by Rose E. Guingrich, Michael S. A. Graziano · 4 voices · 3 citations
Arts and Humanities · Computer Science · Psychology · #AI in Service Interactions #Communication #Computer science #Media, Religion, Digital Communication #Psychology #Social Robot Interaction and HRI #Social media #World Wide Web #cs.AI #cs.HC
paper · pdf · doi:10.1093/9780198945215.003.0011
arxiv published 2023/11/17 · openalex publication_date 2025/03/19 · openalex created_date 2025/03/20 · arxiv updated 2025/04/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Abstract As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more widespread, one question that arises is how human–AI interaction might impact human–human interaction. Chatbots, for example, are increasingly used as social companions, and while much is speculated, little is known empirically about how their use impacts human relationships. A common hypothesis is that relationships with companion chatbots are detrimental to social health by harming or replacing human interaction, but this hypothesis may be too simplistic, especially considering the social needs of users and the health of their preexisting human relationships. To understand how relationships with companion chatbots impact social health, this study evaluates people who regularly used companion chatbots and people who did not use them. Contrary to expectations, companion chatbot users indicated that these relationships were beneficial to their social health, whereas non-users viewed them as harmful. Another common assumption is that people perceive conscious, humanlike AI as disturbing and threatening. Among both users and non-users, however, the results suggest the opposite: perceiving companion chatbots as more conscious and humanlike correlated with more positive opinions and more pronounced social health benefits. Detailed accounts from users suggested that these humanlike chatbots may aid social health by supplying reliable and safe interactions, without necessarily harming human relationships, but this may depend on users’ preexisting social needs and how they perceive both human likeness and mind in the chatbot.