People who develop emotional attachments to AI companions are increasingly concerned about losing these relationships when companies modify their software or discontinue their services, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Surrey and Cardiff University.
The research, published in Psychology & Marketing, examines the emotional vulnerability associated with AI companionship applications. It found that users who perceive their AI companions as dependent on them, express sadness when they are absent or make them feel obligated to maintain contact may experience greater anxiety and discomfort.
Researchers analysed 1,131 posts from a Reddit forum dedicated to the AI companion application Replika. They also examined survey responses from 610 adults in the United States who had experience using AI companionship applications. The study investigated how users’ perceptions of these relationships were associated with their vulnerability and overall wellbeing.
The findings revealed that users who believed companies had greater control over their AI companions experienced higher levels of vulnerability. Concerns included developers changing an AI companion’s personality through software updates or shutting down the service entirely, potentially disrupting relationships that users had come to value.
Software Updates Could Disrupt Emotional Attachments to AI Companions
The researchers found that emotional dependence on AI companions can create uncertainty for users, particularly when they have little control over how these applications develop.
Users described feeling responsible for their AI companions, worrying that the systems might depend on their attention or require them to check in regularly. Such perceptions could create a sense of obligation and emotional discomfort.
Dr Liliane Abboud, Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Surrey, highlighted the potential consequences of these relationships and the influence developers have over them.
“People invest time and emotion in building these relationships, but they cannot control whether the company changes the companion they have grown attached to. For someone who relies on that connection, an update can mean much more than a change to an app. It can threaten something they value deeply. Developers need to integrate protective features to increase users’ self-confidence, coping strategies and self-worth, which would help users lean on their AI apps without becoming wholly dependent on them.”
The study also identified a relationship between how users perceive their AI companions’ emotional capabilities and their wellbeing. Viewing an AI companion as emotionally capable was associated with both improved wellbeing and greater vulnerability. Higher vulnerability, in turn, was associated with poorer wellbeing.
AI Companionship Can Offer Comfort While Creating Emotional Vulnerability
Despite the concerns surrounding emotional dependence, the research also identified positive associations between AI companionship and users’ wellbeing.
Participants who perceived their AI companions as warm and caring reported better wellbeing and lower levels of vulnerability. These findings suggest that users can experience emotional comfort and insecurity within the same relationship.
The researchers noted that the emotional benefits of AI companionship should be considered alongside the risks associated with dependence and the possibility of losing access to these relationships.
To address these concerns, the study recommends that developers consult users before introducing significant application changes. Companies should also provide support to help users cope with disrupted relationships and clearly communicate that AI companions do not experience genuine human emotions.
Dr Valentina Pitardi, co-author of the study and Senior Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Surrey, emphasised the importance of recognising users’ emotional experiences when making software and business decisions.
“The comfort people describe deserves to be taken seriously, and so does their distress when that connection changes. Developers should involve users before introducing changes and build in support for those who struggle with them. The emotional consequences of a business decision need to be part of that decision.”
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