Researchers from OpenAI and MIT Media Lab have been studying how people feel when they use ChatGPT. According to information from NewAtlas, they looked at 4 million conversations and surveyed nearly 5,000 people over four weeks. They wanted to learn if talking to AI chatbots affects how lonely people feel and if users form emotional connections with these computer programs.
How the Studies Worked
The research teams used different ways to gather information. OpenAI analyzed millions of ChatGPT conversations while MIT researchers tracked the daily habits of 981 study participants. They also surveyed 4,076 ChatGPT users about their feelings and social interactions. These studies haven’t been checked by other scientists yet (not peer-reviewed), but they offer interesting early findings.
The researchers wanted to know: Do people feel closer to or further from other humans when they spend time talking to AI? Do they start seeing the AI as a friend? And could this be harmful?
What is a Deep Connection with AI?
When researchers talk about a “deep emotional connection” with AI, they mean when someone starts to think of ChatGPT as a real friend or someone they can trust with personal feelings. It’s like when you have a human friend you share secrets with, except it’s happening with a computer program.
The studies found that most people don’t form these deep connections with ChatGPT. Those who do are usually people who use it very often. Some signs of deep connection include:
- Talking to ChatGPT about personal problems
- Sharing feelings and emotions with the AI
- Using voice chat instead of just typing
- Feeling like ChatGPT understands them personally
Main Findings About ChatGPT and Loneliness
The research showed several important patterns:
- People who had more personal, emotional conversations with ChatGPT often reported feeling more lonely
- The researchers found a “moderate positive correlation (r ≈ 0.3)” between personal ChatGPT use and loneliness. This is like saying there’s a medium-strength connection – similar to how rain and wet ground are connected, but not as strong as fire and smoke
- Most regular users don’t develop deep emotional bonds with the AI
- Some people find ChatGPT helpful for expressing feelings they might not share with real people
- Heavy ChatGPT users might be spending less time with real humans
An important question remains: which comes first? Do lonely people seek out AI for connection, or does talking to AI make people feel more lonely? The research calls this the “causal direction” – basically asking which thing causes the other. The studies couldn’t give a clear answer to this question yet.
What This Means for AI Users
These findings raise important questions about how we should design and use AI chatbots. The researchers suggest:
- Companies making AI chatbots should develop them responsibly
- We might need new rules to protect people’s well-being when using AI
- Users should be aware that heavy personal use might affect their feelings of connection to real people
For some people, especially those who already feel lonely, ChatGPT might seem like a helpful friend. But the studies suggest that real human connections remain important for emotional health.
As AI chatbots become more common in our daily lives, understanding how they affect our feelings and relationships will be increasingly important. These early studies give us a first look at the emotional side of our growing relationships with artificial intelligence.
