Humanity must embrace the positives that can be offered from connections with machines, a leading scientist is urging.
Despite movies such as 2013’s ‘Her’ – which showed the perils faced by Joaquin Phoenix’s character from falling in love with an AI female companion – Professor Tony Prescott from the University of Sheffield argues the tech can play a crucial role in combating human loneliness.
He says in his new book ‘The Psychology of Artificial Intelligence’: “In an age when many people describe their lives as lonely, there may be value in having AI companionship as a form of reciprocal social interaction that is stimulating and personalised.”
Prescott also argues AI could become a valuable tool for those at risk of social isolation, enabling them to practice conversations and social interactions, thereby building self-confidence and reducing the likelihood of withdrawing from society.
He added: “Human loneliness is often characterised by a downward spiral in which isolation leads to lower self-esteem, which discourages further interaction with people.
“There may be ways in which AI companionship could help break this cycle by scaffolding feelings of self-worth and helping maintain or improve social skills.”
The issue of loneliness is increasingly recognised as a significant public health challenge.
In the UK alone, nearly four million people experience chronic loneliness, while a 2021 Harvard study found more than a third of Americans report feeling “serious loneliness”.
The consequences are severe, with loneliness linked to higher rates of heart disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death— comparable to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, according to US surgeon general Vivek Murthy.
The debate on AI's role in addressing loneliness is not new.
Critics including Sherry Turkle from MIT warn relationships with machines could diminish human connections.
And Christina Victor of Brunel University questions whether AI can provide meaningful social interactions, noting real social connections involve reciprocity.
Murali Doraiswamy of Duke University acknowledges the potential of AI as a stopgap for loneliness – but stresses the need for moral and trustworthy design.
He told The Guardian: “Right now, all the evidence points to having a close human friend as the best solution for loneliness.
“But until society prioritises social connectedness, robots are a solution for the millions of people who have no friends.”
Prescott, however, argues for a balanced view.
He says in his book: “Although AIs cannot provide friendship in the same way as other humans, not all the relationships we find valuable are symmetrical.”
