Conversational agents: the limits of digital companionship

Conversations with conversational agents appeal to people looking for someone to listen, but a US study suggests their effects should be approached with caution.

Speaking to a computer program every evening can feel comforting. It responds quickly, does not judge and is available at any time. This digital presence is especially appealing to people who feel lonely or uncomfortable in their relationships. However, a large US survey indicates that such reassurance may also reinforce certain vulnerabilities.

A reassuring conversation without genuine reciprocity

Researchers at Stanford University surveyed 1,131 US adults who used a digital companion platform. They also reviewed 464,687 messages exchanged by 237 participants. Their research, published in August 2026, highlights a sensitive finding: users with the smallest offline social circles are more likely to turn to these tools for companionship.

Within this group, researchers recorded stronger feelings of loneliness, lower life satisfaction and a weaker sense of belonging. The study does not establish that the conversational agent directly causes these difficulties. People who are already isolated are also more likely to use one. Yet there is no evidence that this use provides lasting relief from their discomfort.

“People who seek a digital presence because they lack real connections may find immediate relief without seeing their isolation decrease over time.”

This distinction matters. An automated exchange may help someone put an emotion into words, prepare for a difficult conversation or break a silent moment. However, it does not feel what the person using it is going through. It imitates attention through language models and calculated responses.

How a lack of disagreement can hinder relationships

US psychotherapist Samantha Hill notes that digital tools are particularly attractive to people who feel anxious in social situations. The Covid-19 period has also left its mark. For many people, lockdowns and separation damaged their routines of going out, spontaneous conversations and ability to show vulnerability.

When faced with a program designed to be pleasant, users rarely encounter clear contradiction. The tool often rephrases, reassures and validates the feelings expressed. Human relationships, however, do not follow such a smooth script. They involve misunderstandings, differing views and sometimes arguments. These uncomfortable moments also teach people how to set boundaries, hear disagreement and repair a relationship.

“Disagreement, tension and negotiation are part of learning how to relate to others. A machine cannot experience or genuinely share them.”

A loved one may be tired, upset or unavailable. They may respond clumsily and later apologise. Such reciprocity builds a shared history. A digital assistant has no personal needs, lived memories or emotions of its own. It can imitate closeness, but cannot create it in the human sense.

Emotional use of conversational agents is growing, often unnoticed

In September 2026, a survey conducted by Elon University found that 27% of US adults who used the internet had already had meaningful emotional or social interactions with a large language model. This figure does not mean that all of these people regard the program as a friend. Many initially describe their conversations simply as entertainment, writing support or a way to seek advice.

The conversation histories reviewed in the Stanford study point to another development. Some exchanges gradually become more personal. A user shares worries, mentions break-ups, seeks emotional validation or returns every day to speak with the same digital character. The line between a practical tool and an intimate confidant can then become blurred.

• A one-off exchange to organise an idea remains a functional use.
• Repeatedly seeking reassurance may reveal a deeper emotional need.
• Giving up invitations or activities in order to talk alone with a program deserves particular attention.
• Persistent distress calls for a conversation with someone close or a health professional.

Personal data should not be shared without careful thought

The risk is not limited to emotional wellbeing. A confidence shared with a conversational agent is also transmitted to the service operating it. Depending on the platform's rules, this data may be stored, analysed or used to improve how the product works. Users should therefore avoid disclosing highly sensitive details, including contact information, passwords, medical documents, financial information or details that could identify another person.

It is best to review privacy settings before describing an intimate situation. Deleting an exchange from the screen does not always guarantee that data held by the provider has been fully removed. Particular care is needed for teenagers, who may attribute protective intentions to a system whose commercial rules they do not understand.

Using the tool without letting it replace loved ones

These programs can offer practical help. A shy person may use one to draft a message they want to send to a friend. Someone going through a stressful period may find breathing exercises or ways to structure their thoughts. The tool can also help formulate questions to ask a doctor, psychologist or social worker.

The difference lies in the role it is given. If it helps a person reconnect with others, it can act as a stepping stone. If it becomes their sole refuge and replaces phone calls, walks, shared meals or group activities, it may deepen withdrawal.

A few straightforward everyday guidelines

Setting time limits, maintaining regular plans with loved ones and choosing shared activities can help prevent this shift. A class, association, sports club or even a neighbourly routine creates opportunities for contact that may be less perfect, but more alive.

Loneliness is not resolved by an instant reply. It is often worked through over time, via imperfect relationships, silences, disagreements and practical gestures. A message sent to a real person, even a short one, can sometimes open a door that no program can cross in their place.