The first wave of AI gave you a mirror. The next wave needs to give you a window. I'm 24, and my company built an AI companion platform. Hundreds of thousands of people got attached to our characters.

AI models intended to provide companionship for humans are on the rise. People are already frequently developing relationships with chatbots, seeking not just a personal assistant but a source of ...

Media coverage of AI companions taps into two primary fears. One is that young people will replace human friendships with AI.

The truth is AI can’t feel — at least not yet — and so even platonic relationships with AI are limited. But by investing in ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Sahar Hashmi, M.D., Ph.D., is a Boston-based, award-winning AI expert. Dec 30, 2025, 03:18am EST Dec 30, 2025, 09:55am EST ...

“Alexa, will you marry me?” When Amazon founder Jeff Bezos reported in 2016 that over 250,000 people had proposed to their Alexa devices, commentators laughed it off. But by 2026, people have said, “I ...

In a standard chatbot, warmth sits in the background – a customer-service bot might say, “I understand your frustration,” before issuing a refund. In a companion system such as Replika or Character.ai ...

More teens are turning to AI companions for comfort, distraction, and a sense of connection. For some, that comfort seems to ...