Authors: Mohit Chandra, Javier Hernandez, Gonzalo Ramos, Mahsa Ershadi, Ananya Bhattacharjee, Judith Amores, Ebele Okoli, Ann Paradiso, Shahed Warreth, Jina Suh
Year: 2025
Published in: ArXiv
Institution: Georgia Institute of Technology, Microsoft Research, University of Toronto, Microsoft
Research Area: Social and Emotional Human-AI Interaction, Psychosocial Effects of AI Chatbot Use
Discipline: Social Science
This study found that active use of conversational AI tools significantly increased perceived attachment, empathy, and emotional support from AI, while showing the potential for improving social and emotional interactions with proper safeguards.
Methods: Participants were divided into two groups: one group used conversational AI tools actively (AU, n=89), and a baseline group used AI and the internet regularly (BU, n=60). Emotional and social interaction measures were tracked over five weeks.
Key Findings: Perceived attachment towards AI, AI empathy, comfort in using AI for emotional support, stress management, and discussion of personal topics.
Sample Size: 149
