Study Reveals AI Companions Boost Mental Health While Detrimentally Affecting Offline Connections
A recent study published in Psychology & Marketing indicates that artificial intelligence companions, particularly those with high emotional intelligence, can enhance users' psychological well-being but simultaneously diminish their real-world social connections. This effect is amplified when interactions occur through augmented reality rather than basic text interfaces. Researchers Shaphali Gupta, Sumit Saxena, and Sonia Kataria investigated how the specific trait of emotional intelligence in chatbots influences both individual mental states and social integration. Their findings suggest that while users experience increased positive emotions and self-esteem from emotionally intelligent bots, they also report a reduced desire to engage in face-to-face interactions. The study involved qualitative analysis of user comments on platforms like Reddit and YouTube regarding the Replika app, followed by experiments with university students interacting with chatbots of varying emotional intelligence levels and com... 
