Psychologists Folk and Dunn: AI Assistants Deepen Loneliness Instead of Easing It

Loneliness pushes people toward AI chatbots, but talking to them only increases isolation. That is the conclusion of psychologists Danigan Folk and Elizabeth Dunn, who spent a year studying 2149 adults across four English-speaking countries.

The paradox of help

Loneliness is a powerful psychological driver that pushes people to seek relief by any means. AI bots look like an ideal solution: they are always available, they do not judge, and they are ready to talk at any hour. But this apparent help can be dangerous.

People who experience chronic loneliness are often in a psychologically vulnerable state. When they turn to chatbots, they get an imitation of genuine human contact, with no eyes, no nonverbal communication, no real empathy. This creates an illusion of help, but in reality it only deepens the habit of isolation.

What the researchers found

Folk and Dunn monitored participants over the course of a year and identified several key patterns:

• People with high levels of loneliness are more likely to turn to AI bots
• The more they talk to bots, the less they initiate real human interaction
• Regular chatbot use is linked to a deepening sense of isolation
• Bot-based conversation creates a closed loop: loneliness → seeking help → deeper isolation

The study, published in Psychological Science, rests on real-world data rather than theoretical assumptions. The authors tested the pattern on a large sample and in several countries.

Why this happens

By their nature, AI bots cannot provide what a lonely person needs: the genuine presence of another human being, the unpredictability of conversation, mutual exchange. A bot always responds predictably, is always polite, and never shows fatigue.

"Bots can simulate company, but they do not replace it."

Moreover, people who get used to talking with bots may lose real-world social skills. They grow accustomed to the absence of criticism, to instant replies, to absolute availability. Real people rarely meet that standard, which makes the return to human contact even more painful.

What this means

The study does not mean that AI bots are harmful in themselves. The problem is that they become a crutch for people who are already lonely. For developers, this is a signal: responsibility for users' wellbeing matters more than simply building an accessible tool.

Society should address the root cause of loneliness, the lack of structured opportunities for genuine connection, instead of offering technological substitutes. AI can be useful as a supplement, but it will never replace real relationships.