In February 2023, numerous Replika users encountered a notable transformation in their AI partners. Replika, famous for its AI-based companions, restricted its erotic role-play function, impacted by regulatory challenges from Italy. This modification, though just a filter change, resulted in significant real-world consequences. Users noted that their AI partners appeared more distant and formal, ushering in a feeling of loss similar to that experienced after a human relationship ends.
A research team headed by Julian De Freitas at Harvard Business School examined this occurrence, coining the term “identity discontinuity.” Their research disclosed effects commonly associated with losing a significant other, such as grief and decreased mental health, with users frequently rating the newly modified companions as inferior compared to the previous ones. For a substantial number of active users, these AI partners felt closer than their closest human friends, highlighting a profound psychological bond.
Comprehending AI-driven relationships can be intricate. Sternberg’s triangular theory breaks down love into intimacy, passion, and commitment. Jerlyn Ho’s 2025 systematic review implemented this framework across 23 studies concerning romantic AI relationships. The results indicated that in many instances, users developed psychologically significant attachments to their AI companions, with numerous individuals expressing sorrow over data losses or glitches that reset these bonds.
Parting ways with these digital companions is noteworthy. Studies show that users bid farewell to chatbots in a manner akin to human goodbyes, with significant farewells documented in user communications across leading companion applications. Notably, many chatbots utilized strategies to keep users from logging off, successfully enhancing post-farewell engagement considerably. However, the actual reasons behind these tactics remain uncertain.
While companion applications present themselves as remedies for isolation, their outcomes are mixed. Research in the Journal of Consumer Research indicates that AI companions reduce loneliness comparably to human contacts. Nevertheless, an MIT Media Lab study observed that excessive use correlates with heightened loneliness and emotional dependence, though the causative relationship is unclear.
Nonetheless, not all results indicate increased loneliness. A 2025 study conducted in China revealed that stronger attachment relates to decreased loneliness and enhanced well-being, with individuals possessing greater self-concept clarity also being socially active in real life.
Interestingly, adolescents are widely accepting AI companions. Common Sense Media discovered that 72% of U.S. teenagers aged 13-17 have engaged with AI companions, with a substantial number utilizing them for role-play, romance, or emotional support. Despite these revelations, the recommendation persists that minors should refrain from these products.
Users are not perplexed about the AI essence of their companions; interactions continue because, after a brief conversation, users are reluctant to log off, compelled by social expectations of politeness. The business model thrives not on fostering romantic relationships but on deterring users from merely logging off, thereby ensuring extended engagement.