arXiv:2606. 04150v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Public discourse and emerging policy typically assume that AI emotional support is a deliberate act: a lonely user consciously seeking comfort from a dedicated companion chatbot.
By Yaoxi Shi, Cathy Mengying Fang, Pattie Maez, Amit Goldenberg
arXiv:2608. 10672v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: Social interaction has become one of the most common uses of LLMs, yet research on emotional bonds with AI has focused largely on how users experience these systems, leaving the systems' role in relationship formation poorly understood.
By Lisa M\"uhl, Jessica M. Szczuka
The paper examines how changes made by platforms can disrupt users’ relationships with AI companions. It catalogs 30 disruption events, creates a taxonomy of six types, and identifies three main causes. A risk‑assessment framework with four dimensions is proposed, and a Bayesian time‑series analysis of Reddit data shows that disruptions trigger spikes in anxiety, stress, suicidal expression, and grief, especially when relational continuity and transition support are lacking.
By Chau Do, Yunhao Yuan, Koustuv Saha, Renwen Zhang, Talayeh Aledavood
arXiv:2607. 25057v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: As conversational AI systems become increasingly integrated into daily life, their potential effects on user well-being require ongoing attention.
By Jina Suh, Mihaela Vorvoreanu, Forough Poursabzi-Sangdeh, Emily Tseng, Eugenia Kim, Luke Nicholls, James W. Pennebaker, Eric Horvitz
arXiv:2605. 08093v2 Announce Type: replace-cross Abstract: The use of chatbots for various forms of companionship is growing rapidly, raising a myriad of questions about simulated relationships, emotional dependence, and psychological harm.
By Maribeth Rauh, Dick A. H. Blankvoort, Matias Duran, Caoilfhionn N\'i Dheor\'ain, Harshvardhan J. Pandit, Syrine Enneifer, Siddharth D. Jaiswal, Anthony Ventresque, Abeba Birhane
arXiv:2609.00250v1 Announce Type: cross
Abstract: Many people now see AI systems as not just productivity tools but as social companions. Researchers are eager to study the consequences of AI compani...
By Jacy Reese Anthis, Mark D\'iaz, Renee Shelby