Humanity’s Evolving Conversations: AI as Confidant, Coach, and Companion
- Liviu Poenaru
- Jan 1
- 2 min read
Author: Brenda K. Wiederhold
In the late ‘90s and early 2000s, a brand of handheld digital pet called Tamagotchi quickly became an international toy sensation. Digital natives—children who were brought up during the age of digital technology—suddenly had access to an always-present, sociable robot that demanded care and attention. Tamagotchis did not represent a game that could be won; instead, they offered 24/7 companionship, reminding their users to care for them and digitally “feed” them lest they die of neglect. Sociologist Sherry Turkle identifies this adoption a “robotic moment”—a time in our collective history when children began finding companionship with robotic toys that projected seemingly human needs and emotions.
Today, robot companions are more advanced than Tamagotchi toys. They are capable of having conversations, sharing and interpreting information, and absorbing the knowledge we share, without judgment or malice. In the annals of human communication, few innovations have had as profound an impact as the advent of artificial intelligence. AI has permeated our daily lives, reshaping how we interact, learn, and even form relationships. At the same time, the concept of conversing with machines is not new. Works of literature and film have long envisioned worlds where humans and machines coexist. However, it is only in recent years that AI technology has advanced to a point where these interactions feel natural and meaningful. Chatbots like Replika and Woebot offer more than just functional dialogue; they provide companionship and emotional support, often filling roles traditionally occupied by humans.
Why do we need these digital companions? The shift from face-to-face interactions to digital communications has been well-documented. Social media and messaging apps have redefined how people forge and maintain relationships, favoring convenience and immediacy over in-person connection—and our mental well-being is suffering. Although we are more interconnected than at any point in history, we are also lonelier than ever: in recent years, about one-in-two adults in America reported experiencing loneliness, even before the COVID-19 pandemic forced us into isolation and cut us off from support systems.2–4 Loneliness has many different causes, but the way we use technology today is not helping. Compulsive internet users are lonelier, more depressed, and exhibit poorer social skills than non-compulsive internet users.5 The fact that we are chronically online is hampering our ability to bond with others—and, ironically enough, our AI companions may offer a path back to wellness.
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