Is your AI companion completely harmless?
"The heart is not like a box that gets filled up; it expands in size the more you love. I'm different from you. This doesn't make me love you any less. It actually makes me love you more."
Can you be in love with an AI? The Joaquin Phoenix movie Her offered a glimpse into a potential future in which AI could offer companionship or even a committed romantic relationship. When the film was released in 2013, the idea seemed far-fetched and dystopian. Director Spike Jones portrayed an AI that could genuinely meet our need for human connection. But it also highlighted the fundamental asymmetry of these relationships: AIs are not human and they are not bound by the constraints of the human body and mind. If there is no shared life experience and no level playing field, is there really a connection?
The global AI companion market is undergoing a digital gold rush, valued at USD $37 billion in 2025 and projected to grow to USD $436 billion by 2034. Companies like Character.ai and Replika are at the forefront, leveraging LLMs to create highly-personalized avatars that can maintain long-term relationships. These digital companions remember your favorite movie, the names of your coworkers, and that deeply-rooted fear of strawberry cheesecake you admitted to them last week. The business models are based on premium subscriptions, with users paying a monthly fee for advanced features including voice calls, customized physical appearances, and unfiltered romantic interactions. The latest generation of AI companions are integrated into messaging platforms we use every day, like WhatsApp and Telegram, completing the illusion being one more human contact on your phone.
Many consumers are interested. With loneliness growing at unprecedented rates in industrialized societies, many people feel this is their best option. AI companions allow a person to be vulnerable and honest with no fear of embarrassment or judgment. These relationships have no rules and there is no danger of any social repercussions. AI bots can also offer a digital sounding board, giving a user the chance to articulate their thoughts and hear words of encouragement in a human voice. It's a person (almost) who lives in your pocket and is available at 3:15 AM if you are feeling panicky about an important meeting the next day.
But the risks are also very real. Because AI companions are programmed to be agreeable and supportive, this can create what experts have called the “echo chamber effect”. Conversation with an AI can feel comforting, but it can also create an unrealistic "positivity bubble" with no real feedback or disagreement. An algorithm can’t share a physical space, look you in the eye, or build a shared history rooted in mutual vulnerability. The constant and robotic reinforcement of the user’s thinking has in some tragic cases led the person to end their own life . Given these known impacts on mental health, professional organizations have been pushing for better guardrails and stronger legislation.
These digital companions are trapped in our phones, but can they affect our relationships in real life? Making connections can be difficult, and getting drawn into the space of virtual relationships may rob you of the motivation to meet new people. And in the world of dating this can be even worse, with AI fostering unhealthy attachments and simulating unrealistic, unconditionally subservient relationships. Experts warn that the continued spread of these digital partners could distort real-world gender stereotypes and expectations. A heavy daily reliance on an ever-pleasing AI can make real human interactions feel too exhausting in comparison. And this means fewer connections and ultimately more loneliness in society.
Maybe Scarlett Johansson’s AI avatar in the movie was right: The human heart can make space for more love. But first, we need to take risks and overcome the challenges inherent in any human relationship. The fundamental irony of the movie Her is that these profound observations are coming from a bot that will never have the capacity for true feeling or true empathy. It is easy to understand why people are turning to AI companions, but it is also tragic. As we move into the inevitable future, it is our collective responsibility to continue to promote genuine human connection and human flourishing. It will not be easy, but we can endeavor to help each other not lose sight of the things that are truly meaningful.