AI companions for lonely individuals and the role of social presence

ABSTRACT Artificial intelligence (AI) companiosns (e.g., social machine agents, social robots) are becoming increasingly available. Considering that AI companions can be beneficial for individuals seeking companionships or relationships, the social and relational aspects of an AI companion are important to investigate. To understand people’s perceptions of an AI companion, this study examines the roles of social presence and warmth of an AI companion through an online experiment. Primary findings indicate that social presence of a disembodied AI companion fosters greater perceived usefulness of the AI companion and willingness to recommend the AI companion for lonely individuals. Collectively, the study highlights the importance of social presence for disembodied AI companions.