Can Chatbots Really Relieve Loneliness?

Getting Chatty: Talking to chatbots is a new norm. Whether you’re asking for health advice or just venting, turning to a large language model like ChatGPT is easy. Research has suggested that talking to chatbots may alleviate loneliness and boost mood as much as talking to a real person. Some people even report preferring chatbots to real human interaction. New research, however, adds a bit of nuance.    

The Study: Researchers at the University of British Columbia studied 275 first-year students for two weeks. One group sent “meaningful messages” to a chatbot; another messaged with a randomly selected student; and a third journaled in a private chatroom. At the end of the study, only those students who interacted with another student reported less loneliness and more positive emotion at the end of the two week study.

The Takeaway: While students who interacted with chatbots did report less negative emotions immediately afterward, those who interacted with real people felt better for longer. The lead researcher on this study says the findings indicate that chatbots are a “poor substitute for a real person,” even if the person is a total stranger.

What to Know: This study lasted just two weeks and involved a relatively small and specific sample size (first-year students at a single university). Still, it suggests chatbots still aren’t a bonafide replacement for human interaction, especially long-term.