One-third of people in the UK use AI for emotional support
A third of UK citizens have used AI for emotional purposes in the last year, according to the government’s AI security and research body.
The AI Security Institute (AISI) noted that the use of AI for emotional support and social connection is becoming increasingly commonplace.
In a survey of 2,028 people in the UK, 33% responded that they had used AI for emotional purposes in the last year.
Almost one in ten (8%) of people used AI for emotional support on a weekly basis, and 4% did so daily.
The study found that the use of AI for companionship, emotional support, and social interaction is already widespread, with many reporting positive experiences.
However, many people who use AI for emotional support also report negative experiences, and there have been several high-profile incidents of reported harm.
Most people who used AI for emotional connection used general-purpose AI assistants like ChatGPT and Gemini, while 26% used voice assistants like Alexa.
Only 5% of those who said they used AI for emotional purposes use chatbots designed specifically for that purpose, such as Character.AI.
The research found that when these services are disrupted, this can have a significant negative effect on those who rely on them for emotional support, as evidenced by its study of the CharacterAI subreddit during service outages.
