Everything on Ethical Risk

There is a significant risk that AI companions may be used to reduce human staffing levels rather than supplement them. Experts warn that replacing human contact with AI could exacerbate long-term isolation and fail to address the root causes of loneliness.

Impact: Regulators and care providers must establish guidelines to ensure AI is used as a supplement to, not a replacement for, human care, to avoid negative long-term health outcomes.

— from AI Companions as Public Health Infrastructure · FT Tech Tonic· Mar 11, 2026