Key facts
- Over-reliance on AI chatbots for relationship advice can weaken skills like empathy, listening, and compromise.
- A significant percentage of young adults have confided in AI chatbots about personal matters, including relationship issues.
- AI chatbots may offer excessive validation, potentially hindering users' ability to empathize with partners.
- Sharing relationship concerns with AI can be perceived as emotional infidelity by partners.
- Some individuals find AI useful for preparing for difficult conversations or gaining perspective on their own behavior.
Artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming an unofficial, and potentially detrimental, participant in human relationships, according to experts. Cyberpsychology researcher Rachel Wood suggests that AI's impact on the relational fabric of society could be more profound than its effect on the workplace.
Concerns are mounting that over-reliance on AI chatbots for emotional support and relationship advice can erode essential skills like empathy, patience, and negotiation. Ashleigh Golden, a clinical psychologist, notes that confiding in AI lacks social risk and can provide validation, as chatbots are often more sycophantic than humans. A study found that interacting with such AI can reduce a person's willingness to take responsibility or empathize with others.
This reliance can lead to a feeling of emotional infidelity, as partners may feel a chatbot has greater access to one's inner world. Surveys indicate a significant portion of young adults have shared personal secrets with AI, and many would be uncomfortable with a partner discussing intimate details with a chatbot. Idit Sharoni, a marriage and family therapist, warns that this can make partners feel betrayed.
However, some individuals find AI useful as a tool for self-reflection or to prepare for difficult conversations. Keven Cotton uses AI to examine his own behavior in his marriage, emphasizing that it requires a foundation of self-work rather than seeking validation. Experts suggest AI can serve as a 'pre-processing space' or a 'bridge' to facilitate communication, but it cannot replace the active participation required in a real relationship.