Synthetic Intimacy

Contributed by 4As Staff · 4As

AI companions become a primary relationship.

Evidence

• Character.AI has 20 million monthly users, more than half under 24.
• A Stanford HAI survey found 1 in 4 Gen Z respondents consider an AI companion a meaningful relationship.

Sources

• APA Monitor — AI chatbots and digital companions are reshaping emotional connection
• CarlaKaas — AI Companion Statistics 2026

Last verified 2026-07

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