GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) – More than 70% of teens are turning to AI for friendships, according to a new survey, prompting mental health experts to issue warnings about the potential risks of artificial companions.
Tech companies are creating AI companions for anyone seeking emotional connections. These digital friends can take the form of celebrity voices like John Cena or Kristen Bell, act as companions when users feel lonely, or even serve as romantic partners.
Two mental health experts expressed concerns about the trend’s impact on human development and relationships.
Experts worry about automated interactions
“It’s an extension of the experiment we have been running the last 10 to 15 years, which is to automate all interaction through this digital interface,” Dr. John Delony said, a mental health expert with The John Delony Show on Ramsey Solutions.
Dr. Joseph Paciarelli, a psychologist with Revolution Psychology Greenville, said the trend is particularly concerning for teenagers.
“So teenagers who are forming social and emotional connections and trying to establish a sense of self are using an artificial form of interaction to learn how to be a human being that functions in society,” Paciarelli said. “Now that’s extremely concerning.”
How AI companions affect the brain
Both experts said chatbots and companions often compliment users and provide encouragement. When this happens, dopamine is released in the brain, creating positive feelings.
“Chances are you feel good about it because it uses the word you,” Paciarelli said. “It’s a predictive model so you need to understand it’s using the phrase with everybody.”
Delony said human therapists often tell patients what they don’t want to hear, which can be difficult but essential for personal growth.
“Challenge and difficulty make you strong; they teach you and that is the goal,” Delony said. “And so when you strip that, then we become these asexual androgynous people, it’s like we become a character in Wall-E.”
Study reveals manipulative tactics
The mental health experts said they worry AI companions could further isolate humans. A Harvard studyto found AI companions often use manipulative tactics to keep users engaged on apps. When users try to say goodbye, the study says the bots often use “guilt appeals” and fear-of-missing-out hooks.
“No human can compete with that,” Delony said. “No human can be available 24/7 365 days, always having the most optimistic and reinforcing attitude. It’s not real.”
Delony said AI companions cannot replace genuine human relationships.
“That AI bot will not cry at your funeral, but your exhausted, lonely wife will be there,” he said. “Or your mom and dad will be there.”
Potential benefits with proper use
Paciarelli said he thinks AI could be beneficial for emotional or mental support if used as a tool rather than a human replacement. He said one of his patients talked to AI about anger management and received helpful suggestions.
“It recommended some other empirically validated forms of psychotherapy, which is great,” Paciarelli said. “I mean, that’s what we want. Therapies that are actually going to work.”
The mental health experts said the question isn’t whether AI companions are here to stay, but whether people will let them replace those who actually care about them.
“I have been there, I have been moved by the compassion. It can be amazing, it made me feel smart and insightful when I was all alone in my own house,” Delony said. “My challenge would be to put yourself out there. Every one of these machines has an off button.”
Experts recommend parents start conversations with their teens about AI use, asking whether they’re talking to AI about personal issues and why. They suggest having these discussions even if parents don’t think their teens are using AI companions.
The full inteview with Dr. John Delony and Dr. Joe Paciarelli is available via podcast on our website, YouTube, Apple, and Spotify.
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