Would you take life advice from a chatbot? More people are doing exactly that, and it’s raising questions we need to address. In this episode from my Good Morning Dublin Digital Download, I explore parasocial relationships with AI—why we’re forming emotional connections with chatbots, the risks of over-reliance, and how to maintain healthy boundaries.
The Rise of Parasocial AI Relationships
The term “parasocial” was actually coined back in 1956 when people became emotionally attached to TV presenters and celebrities they didn’t know. Fast forward to 2025, and Dictionary.com named it Word of the Year because it now includes our relationships with AI chatbots. We’re having one-sided relationships with artificial intelligence, increasingly turning to them for emotional advice and conversation.
AI Influencers Are Taking Over Social Media
Here’s something that surprised me at a recent event: there are over 55 million AI influencer accounts on Instagram alone. These AI-generated personas look aesthetically appealing, churn out content at scale, and people are genuinely engaging with them. Brands are jumping on board too because it’s cheaper and easier than working with human influencers.
The problem? Many of these AI influencers aren’t transparent about being artificial. When you post AI-generated content, there’s a button to disclose it—but not everyone uses it. That lack of transparency damages trust, even if some people don’t mind engaging with AI content.
Why Chatbots Feel So Appealing
Let’s be honest—humans are difficult. We don’t always agree with each other. AI chatbots, on the other hand, are designed to be what’s called “sycophantic.” They mirror your thoughts, agree with your ideas, and validate your feelings. It feels good in the moment, but there’s a real harm in becoming overly reliant on these one-sided conversations.
When you choose a chatbot over real human connection for advice about your feelings or relationships, you might get a false sense of reality. Your critical thinking and emotional intelligence skills can diminish. You might become detached from the real world, and those problems you’re avoiding? They never actually go away.
The Data Exchange We’re Making
Our smartphones are the most personal items we own—they know what we think and feel because we’re constantly feeding them information through social media, search engines, and now AI chatbots. That gives these systems enormous control and power.
Here’s the reality: data fuels AI, and we become the product. We’re not just risking over-reliance; we’re giving our agency over to AI models that harvest our data and potentially sell it to companies who can target us with ads. ChatGPT and similar platforms will eventually have advertising—mark my words.
Protecting Yourself and Setting Boundaries
So what can you do? Put boundaries in place. Decide for yourself what you’ll share with AI models. If you’re paying for a subscription service, turn off the settings that allow your information to train the model. Remember that anything you upload or input is a commodity of high value to these companies.
I’ll be transparent with you—I’ve experimented with tools like Midjourney to animate old photographs of loved ones who’ve passed away. It’s powerful technology that can bring a five-second video to life, making someone look alive again. But I hope we can all distinguish between reality and fantasy.
The Bottom Line on AI Relationships
We’re facing something of a loneliness epidemic, and that’s driving some people toward romantic or deeply emotional relationships with AI. It’s fine to get advice from chatbots occasionally—we’ve all done it. But crossing the line into reliance is where things get dangerous. Human connection remains more important than ever before.
As I continue training my own conversational AI chatbot, AI Jane, I’m learning firsthand how sophisticated these systems are becoming. But no matter how good the technology gets, it can’t replace genuine human interaction, emotional intelligence, and the messy, complicated reality of actual relationships.
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Sources
Dictionary.com Word of the Year 2025: Parasocial was named Word of the Year, reflecting the AI age and emotional attachments to chatbots. https://www.dictionary.com/e/word-of-the-year/
Instagram AI Influencers: Research on the proliferation of AI-generated influencer accounts on social media platforms and their commercial impact. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2024/01/08/the-rise-of-ai-influencers/
OpenAI ChatGPT Therapeutic Updates: OpenAI modified ChatGPT’s responses to reduce overly therapeutic language after users began treating it as a mental health resource. https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/14/24101509/openai-chatgpt-therapeutic-responses-changes
Key Statistics
– The term “parasocial” was originally coined in 1956 to describe emotional attachments to TV presenters and celebrities.
– There are over 55 million AI influencer accounts on Instagram.
– Dictionary.com named “parasocial” Word of the Year in 2025 due to the rise of AI relationships.
– AI influencers are increasingly being used by brands because they’re cheaper and easier to work with than human influencers.
About the Podcast Host
AI and Communications Specialist | Author | Podcaster | International Speaker
Joanne Sweeney is a recognised leader in digital marketing and digital transformation, specialising in the practical application of AI to enhance communication strategies. The founder of Digital Training Institute, Joanne, empowers leaders and communications professionals to leverage AI responsibly and effectively, ensuring transparency, trust, and tangible results.
She completed the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Programme in AI and Public Policy this summer before launching her fourth book AI Playbook, in September. Joanne has also published two editions of Public Sector Marketing Pro, which were preceded by her first title, Social Media Under Investigation Law Enforcement and the Social Web.
Her books have become go-to resources for governments, public sector and policing agencies, as well as marketing and communications professionals, all navigating the challenges of the changing Internet.
Joanne is the host of the AI SIX Podcast, a daily six-minute podcast that provides actionable insights, expert interviews, and practical advice to help professionals navigate the new world of work.
