""What was once a specialist academic term has become mainstream," he said in the statement."
""Millions of people are engaged in parasocial relationships; many more are simply intrigued by their rise," McIntosh added."
""The language around parasocial phenomena is evolving fast, as technology, society and culture shift and mutate: from celebrities to chatbots, parasocial trends are fascinating for those who are interested in the development of language," he said."
Cambridge Dictionary named "parasocial" as the 2025 word of the year, defined as a connection people feel with someone they do not know or with artificial intelligence. The term was coined in 1956 to describe television viewers' para-social relationships with TV personalities. Social media now fosters parasocial ties with celebrities, influencers and online personalities. High-profile events such as Taylor Swift's engagement to Travis Kelce and Lily Allen's album "West End Girl" illustrated fans' emotional investment in public figures. Use of the term surged amid concerns about attachments to AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, reflecting shifts in language driven by technology and culture.
Read at ABC7 Los Angeles
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