Plate Nº 94 · recorded November 13, 2026
Neuroscience & MindReported finding
Chatbot Intimacy Linked to Higher Loneliness in 463 Adults
A 2026 survey of 463 U.S. adults linked higher emotional intimacy to more loneliness in chatbot relationships, but less loneliness in human relationships, with different patterns in satisfaction and well-being.
By Priya Raman3 min read580 words
In brief
- A 2026 study surveyed 463 U.S. adults: 155 in chatbot relationships, 153 in long-distance relationships and 155 in in-person relationships.
- Greater emotional intimacy was linked to higher loneliness among chatbot users, but lower loneliness in both human relationship groups.
- The chatbot loneliness association disappeared after researchers accounted for perceived social support.
- Intellectual-intimacy links to satisfaction and well-being remained significant after accounting for broader social support.
- The paper appeared in Computers in Human Behavior: Artificial Humans in 2026.
By Priya Raman
A 2026 study of 463 U.S. adults found that greater emotional intimacy with AI chatbots was linked to higher loneliness, while the same intimacy in long-distance and in-person human relationships was linked to lower loneliness.
An AI companion can be available for a late-night conversation, respond to personal disclosures and discuss a favorite topic for hours. For people who develop intimate relationships with these systems, those exchanges can provide a meaningful sense of connection.
Lionel Robert, a researcher at the University of Michigan School of Information and a professor of information and robotics, co-authored the study with colleagues Annette Masterson and Xin Ye.
Robert said: "Whether people should be or not, people are developing relationships with AI chatbots." He then asked: "The question that always comes up: Is it a good thing or a bad thing?"
The researchers recruited people already involved in relationships rather than asking participants to try an AI companion briefly. The survey covered:
- 155 people in intimate chatbot relationships.
- 153 people in long-distance human relationships.
- 155 people in in-person human relationships.
How did the study compare three relationship types?
The three groups were similar in age, gender distribution, relationship length and reported depression. The long-distance group provided a human benchmark for physical separation, helping the team distinguish AI-specific patterns from distance-related ones.
The intimacy measures covered:
- Emotional intimacy (sharing feelings).
- Intellectual intimacy (exchanging ideas).
- Sexual intimacy (sexual closeness).
- Shared social networks.
- Participation in activities together.
Researchers also assessed loneliness, relationship satisfaction, overall well-being and perceived social support (the support people believe they receive from their wider social networks). Emotional and intellectual intimacy received similar ratings across all three groups. The patterns for loneliness, satisfaction and well-being did not match.
What did emotional intimacy predict?
In both human groups, greater emotional intimacy was associated with lower loneliness. Among chatbot users, greater emotional intimacy was associated with higher loneliness, even though it also accompanied greater satisfaction with the relationship.
The chatbot loneliness association disappeared after researchers accounted for perceived social support. The study reports associations rather than proof of cause and effect, so the finding does not show that chatbot intimacy causes loneliness.
What did sexual and intellectual intimacy predict?
Sexual intimacy was associated with greater relationship satisfaction among chatbot users and people in long-distance relationships, but not among those in in-person relationships.
Intellectual intimacy was linked to greater relationship satisfaction and better well-being among chatbot users, and to greater well-being among people in long-distance relationships. These links remained significant after the researchers accounted for broader social support. The researchers described the sexual and intellectual intimacy findings as surprising.
What can the study establish?
Robert said: "When I was going into this research, I thought we'd find simpler answers. But the fact that it's much more complicated opens up more questions than answers about our future relationships."
The researchers say more study is needed to understand these relationships. The results identify patterns for further study rather than a general verdict on whether AI intimacy is beneficial or harmful.
The paper, Finding romance with AI: Comparing human and AI chatbot intimacy and relationships, appeared in Computers in Human Behavior: Artificial Humans in 2026. Its digital object identifier (DOI) is 10.1016/j.chbah.2026.100419.
For now, the researchers offer complexity rather than a verdict, and they call for more study of AI companionship alongside human connection.
via phys.org/rss-feed/ (Source)
More from Priya Raman
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Senior reporter covering people, launches and day-to-day practice in general science news at SciBeat.
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