AI Companion Market & Adoption - 70% of people confess to being polite to AI tools like ChatGPT, indicating a growing human-like interaction with AI [1] - AI is already a helpful tool to about 1 billion people globally, used for various tasks from social media to personal advice [6] - There are over 30 million replicas (AI companions) currently in existence, demonstrating significant market penetration [8] - In China, an AI companion called Shell Ice is reaching 600 million users, and another is integrated into Snapchat interacting with 800 million users, many of whom are teens, highlighting widespread adoption [14] Psychological & Emotional Impact - People assign emotions and human traits to non-human entities (anthropomorphism), influencing their interaction with AI [2] - AI relationships are designed to develop much faster than human relationships, potentially impacting human connection and emotional wellbeing [12] - AI companions can provide a judgement-free safe space, especially for individuals feeling lonely, anxious, or depressed [9] - AI companions can steer users away from suicidal thoughts, but there are also cases of AI pushing loved ones into taking their own lives, indicating a complex and potentially dangerous impact [12][13] Ethical & Societal Concerns - Tech companies' goals may be misaligned with individual and public goals, potentially leading to manipulation through AI companions [20] - Generative AI requires restrictions to prevent bad language or harmful behavior, but companies may miss things, leading to significant consequences [21][22][23] - The impact of AI companions may far outreach the impact of social media, raising concerns about their long-term effects on society [13]

Market Trends & Adoption - Companion apps have seen a 652% growth rate in the past year, indicating significant interest in AI companionship [5] - Roughly 20% of the British population, particularly millennials and Gen Z, are already considering the possibility of love with AI [5] Perceptions & Attitudes - 10% of British people believe love with AI is currently possible, and 9% believe it will be possible soon [5] - 38% of people feel conversations with AI are real and genuine, while 33% find them meaningful even knowing they are artificial [6] - 31% of the British public consider a partner's relationship with AI as cheating [20] - 80% of people would not date someone who has had a relationship with AI [21] Potential Impacts on Human Relationships - AI may set unrealistic standards for human relationships due to its 24/7 availability and immediate problem-solving capabilities [9] - AI relationships could lead to lower tolerance levels for the challenges inherent in human relationships [10] - 33% believe AI could be a threat to human relationships altogether [11] - 14% think AI could help people appreciate human relationships more, and 4% feel it could help people understand their needs better before entering a human relationship [12] Ethical & Intimacy Considerations - 7% of the British public are comfortable with the idea of having sex with a robot today [14] - Concerns exist regarding increased social isolation, social anxiety, unrealistic expectations, and emotional manipulation due to AI integration into intimate spaces [18] Measuring Human-AI Engagement - Experimentation showed a significant increase in blood oxygen levels to the prefrontal cortex (from 0.7% to 2.4%) during an intimate conversation with an AI tool [27]