Survival of the Friendliest: AI Companions and the Social Health Crisis

"Evidence shows that, for many of us, AI has become a core part of our everyday lives. Not just our work lives, but our personal lives, too. Indeed, more and more people are turning to AI companions-designed specifically to provide emotional support and a sense of connection. A recent report found that 72 percent of teens in the United States have interacted with an AI companion at least once, with more than half (52 percent) describing themselves as regular users."

"In May 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called loneliness a public health epidemic. Indeed, this isn't just a social health crisis, it's a public health crisis-with studies finding that those who experience chronic loneliness are not only less healthy; they're also likely to die younger. And the crisis is widespread-a 2024 American Psychiatric Association poll found that one in three adults has experienced loneliness at least once a week over the past year, with 10 percent feeling lonely every single day."

"While people generally accept that AI can be used to maximise efficiency and build skills-to help us draft emails, summarise large documents, or even learn to code-people are uneasy about AI replacing sensitive or "human" functions. Using AI companions to manage loneliness remains controversial. A Public Health Crisis Yet, when you look at the world we're living in today, the pull makes sense."

AI companions are increasingly used by young people for emotional support, with 72% of U.S. teens having tried them and 52% regular users. AI is accepted for efficiency tasks but its role replacing sensitive human functions causes unease. Loneliness has become a public health epidemic linked to poorer health outcomes and earlier mortality. Surveys find one in three adults experienced weekly loneliness and 10% feel lonely daily. Always-agreeable AI companions risk weakening social skills and may increase harm for vulnerable users. Loneliness also functions as an evolutionary cue prompting human social connection.

Read at Psychology Today