Advanced Journal of Management, Humanity and Social Science

The Impact of AI Companion Use on Loneliness, Emotional Attachment, and Interpersonal Communication Skills among Young Adults

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Reza Salimi Beni 1
Nahid Rezaie 2
Sahar Alizadeh 3
Fatemeh Ghadimi 4

1 Master of Science in Information Technology Management,Islamic Azad University, Electronic Campus,Tehran,  Iran

2 Bachelor of Psychology, Razi University of Kermanshah, Faculty of Social Sciences

3 Faculty member, Department of Anesthesiology, Nurse and Midwifery school, Shiraz University of medical sciences, Shiraz, Iran

4 Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

10.5281/zenodo.21876607
Abstract
The proliferation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) companions—conversational agents designed to provide social interaction and emotional support—has prompted significant scholarly debate regarding their psychological and social consequences, particularly for young adults. This study investigates the impact of AI companion use on loneliness, emotional attachment to AI, and interpersonal communication competence among university students (N = 1,200). Utilizing a cross-sectional survey design, we measured social-interaction burnout, subjective loneliness, AI parasocial interaction, emotional attachment to AI, and interpersonal communication skills. Our findings reveal a complex, paradoxical relationship: while AI companions offer immediate relief from loneliness (β = 0.254, p < .001) and are perceived as low-risk sources of social connection, they also significantly predict emotional dependence (β = 0.318, p < .001) which, in turn, negatively correlates with interpersonal communication competence (β = -0.41, p < .001). Furthermore, social-interaction burnout emerged as a strong predictor of AI attachment (β = 0.238, p < .001). The results support the "Algorithmic Sanctuary" hypothesis, suggesting that young adults may retreat to AI interactions to escape the perceived judgment and demands of human relationships, a process that paradoxically may impair the very social skills needed to forge meaningful human connections. This study underscores the need for digital literacy interventions that address the developmental and relational implications of sustained AI companionship.

Graphical Abstract

The Impact of AI Companion Use on Loneliness, Emotional Attachment, and Interpersonal Communication Skills among Young Adults

Keywords

AI companions
Loneliness
Emotional Attachment
Interpersonal Communication
Algorithmic Sanctuary
Subjects
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Advanced Journal of Management, Humanity and Social Science
Volume 2, Issue 4
July 2026
Pages 306-315

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