Research shows that using AI chatbots makes lonely people feel even lonelier

OpenAI and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab have published two collaborative studies examining the impact of AI chatbots on people's emotions and behaviors. The studies examine how chatbot use affects feelings of loneliness, social interactions, and the tendency to become addicted to AI.

Investigating Affective Use and Emotional Well-being on ChatGPT
(PDF file) https://cdn.openai.com/papers/15987609-5f71-433c-9972-e91131f399a1/openai-affective-use-study.pdf

How AI and Human Behaviors Shape Psychosocial Effects of Chatbot Use: A Longitudinal Controlled Study — MIT Media Lab
https://www.media.mit.edu/publications/how-ai-and-human-behaviors-shape-psychosocial-effects-of-chatbot-use-a-longitudinal-controlled-study/

The first study analyzed the behavior of approximately 6,000 heavy users based on approximately 4 million conversations on the ChatGPT platform, and also conducted a survey of over 4,000 users to gather data on their subjective experiences.

The second study used a randomized controlled trial to track 981 participants over 28 days, measuring changes in users' emotional state across nine conditions that combined the type of chatbot used and the content of their daily conversations.

The results showed that while audio conversations may contribute to reducing feelings of loneliness and addiction in the early stages, this effect diminished as use time increased, and instead tended to increase feelings of loneliness and problematic use. This tendency was particularly pronounced when non-emotional audio modes were used.

The researchers also found that the effects varied depending on the content of the conversation. When personal topics were discussed, there was a slight increase in feelings of loneliness, but a decrease in the tendency to rely on AI. On the other hand, users who continued to discuss non-personal topics sometimes showed a tendency to rely on AI.

Furthermore, users who responded that ChatGPT 'feels like a friend' were more likely to use nicknames and ask personal questions during conversations. In a small percentage of users, the emotional tone of their conversations even increased over time.

However, many users tend to focus on tasks and have limited emotional interaction, but those who spend more time on social media tend to show overall decreased social interaction and increased dependency.

The researchers point out that limitations of this study include not taking into account external factors such as seasonal variations and individual living environments, and the subjectivity of self-reported responses. Furthermore, further research is needed to determine whether the use of AI chatbots is a 'cause' or a 'consequence' of loneliness.

While the research team expressed concerns about excessive interaction with AI, they also pointed out the importance of improving AI literacy and considering ethics at the design stage. They also concluded that addressing loneliness requires not only technology but also human connections in the real world.