Adults Using AI Companions Daily

Many high-forecast respondents project a substantial expansion of use, in large part due to increasing loneliness. One notes that “the U.S. Surgeon General declar[ed] loneliness an epidemic in 2023, with about half of U.S. adults experiencing measurable levels of loneliness.” A few low-forecast respondents emphasize lower saturation limits. One writes, “About a quarter of U.S. adults go to therapy. If that's the market size, then I expect AI to eventually saturate [at] that.”

Many high-forecast respondents believe AI capabilities are likely to improve dramatically, making companions more “sophisticated, emotionally intelligent, and capable of forming deeper connections with users,” and that “personalized AI companions that learn and adapt to individual users' preferences and needs will become more common.” Low-forecast respondents tend to argue that AI is unlikely to be able to replicate genuine human connection: “Nothing can replace real human interactions, and the vast majority of the population will be reluctant to have emotional interactions with AI.” One forecaster argues that “most people would find such companionship unfulfilling, perhaps even viewing reliance on it as a kind of failure.”

High-forecast respondents frequently cite integration with smartphone apps, wearable devices, and social media platforms as a likely driver of widespread use, even among those not searching for companionship. As one forecaster observed, “I have Grok in my car, Alexa in my kitchen, and Meta in my glasses and it's 2025. I do not use them for companionship, but I do miss them when not available.” Another emphasized that “ambient access through devices turns companionship into a series of micro-interactions throughout the day.” Low-forecast respondents often question whether the current technology can provide genuine companionship, with one arguing “it will not be a substitute for human interaction unless or until AIs achieve human levels of autonomy.”

Both sides acknowledge strong generational effects, but interpret implications differently. High-forecast respondents tend to see use among young adults (25% of 18-29 year-olds have tried AI companionship) as indicative of future mainstream adoption. One notes, “Young teens have much higher usage patterns for companionship than adults, hence giving some early indication of usage by adults in future years.” Another thinks the proportion “will increase rapidly as children grow to adulthood accepting these conversations as natural, having known interactive systems like Siri and Alexa for all of their conscious lives.” Some low-forecast respondents acknowledge youth adoption but emphasize resistance from older demographics, anticipating “generational resistance from many older adults” and that the “novelty will wear off.”

“Government regulation is unlikely,” is a common view among high-forecast respondents. Relatedly, they anticipate declining social stigma as AI companionship becomes normalized through integration with existing platforms. Several low-forecast respondents emphasize the potential for “persistent social/cultural resistance” that could lead to regulatory backlash. One notes, “Recent cases of suicides, possibly caused by AI companionship…may reduce trust and adoption. I assume that there will be more regulation limiting how people can/should use AI companion tools.”