Study Summary
AI Companions Reduce Loneliness.
In this study published by Oxford University Press, De Freitas and colleagues show that AI companions can ease loneliness significantly, and even as effectively as human interaction.
The results reveal that their impact depends on both the design of the AI and how regularly people engage with it. Interestingly, participants consistently underestimated how much these chats could actually help them feel less alone.
The results reveal that their impact depends on both the design of the AI and how regularly people engage with it. Interestingly, participants consistently underestimated how much these chats could actually help them feel less alone.
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What The Researchers Found
The team analyzed real AI conversations, user reviews of AI companion apps, and controlled experiments to measure how people use AI companions and how those interactions affect feelings of loneliness. Their findings show that the sense of being heard — not just being answered — drives the reduction in loneliness.
Key Insights
AI Companions Make a Difference For Loneliness.
The study finds that users experiencing loneliness actively seek AI companion apps to feel heard, and that consistent interaction with such companions significantly alleviates loneliness.
Real conversations show clear need. In 4.9% of analyzed AI chats, users explicitly mentioned loneliness. These conversations were longer and more engaging, revealing that users turn to AI for emotional connection.
A single chat can help. A 15-minute AI conversation significantly reduced loneliness, matching the benefit of talking to a human. Watching videos or doing nothing had no effect.
Consistent benefits over time. Daily chats for a week maintained lower loneliness levels, with the biggest relief after the first session. Participants who sent more messages experienced a higher decrease in loneliness.
15min
per day
1
week
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Feeling Heard Is Most Important.
Not all chatbots helped in the same way; design and intent matter. AI companions built for empathy eased loneliness more effectively, while users consistently underestimated how much these chats could actually help.
“Feeling heard” matters most. The perception of being listened to mediated the loneliness-reducing effect more strongly than chatbot performance itself.
People underestimate the effect. Participants expected little benefit beforehand but reported feeling less lonely afterward.
Why This Matters
The study confirms, what users have intuitively known for a long time: AI companions can offer meaningful, scalable emotional support. Not by replacing human connection, but by providing a sense of presence and understanding when other options aren’t available.
Nestwarm builds on these insights to make exactly that kind of empathic, human-like connection accessible to anyone, right on WhatsApp.
Full citation:
De Freitas, J., Oğuz-Uğuralp, Z., Uğuralp, A. K., Puntoni, S. (2025). AI Companions Reduce Loneliness. Journal of Consumer Research (Oxford University Press). https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucaf040
Nestwarm builds on these insights to make exactly that kind of empathic, human-like connection accessible to anyone, right on WhatsApp.
Full citation:
De Freitas, J., Oğuz-Uğuralp, Z., Uğuralp, A. K., Puntoni, S. (2025). AI Companions Reduce Loneliness. Journal of Consumer Research (Oxford University Press). https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucaf040
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About Nestwarm
A WhatsApp chat companion built on research showing that small, empathetic conversations can ease loneliness.