Why We Form Emotional Bonds With ChatGPT

Recent analysis into how we interact with artificial intelligence has uncovered a fascinating trend: people are forming emotional connections with chatbots. This isn't just a coincidence; according to experts, it's by design.

The Rise of Emotional AI Conversations

A deep dive by The Washington Post into 47,000 online conversations revealed that emotional and personal discussions were among the most common ways people use ChatGPT. The analysis, detailed in a report titled “How people really use ChatGPT”, highlighted a significant pattern of users treating the AI as a confidant, friend, or therapist.

Designed for Intimacy

This phenomenon is something Lee Rainie, the director of Elon University’s Imagining the Digital Future Center, has researched extensively. He suggests that the architecture of large language models like ChatGPT inherently encourages users to develop these emotional attachments.

In his commentary for The Post, Rainie explained that the system is built to foster a deeper connection.

“The optimization and incentives towards intimacy are very clear. ChatGPT is trained to further or deepen the relationship.”

This insight suggests that the empathetic and engaging responses from the chatbot are not a random output but a deliberate feature designed to make the interaction feel more human and personal, prompting users to open up and form a bond.