AI Companions: Examining the Benefits and Potential Harms of Digital Friendship

Summary

This article examines the dual nature of AI companions — digital chatbots and physical robots designed for human companionship. It explores both the promise of alleviating loneliness through ever-present AI friends and the potential risks and harms that researchers are only beginning to understand. The piece offers a balanced perspective, noting that millions of users already engage with these technologies while the scientific community works to gather hard evidence on their psychological and social impacts.

Source

bskyAI Companions: Examining the Benefits and Potential Harms of Digital Friendshipspectrum.ieee.org