Is It Normal to Use an AI Companion?

Yes. Using an AI companion for conversation, play or reflection is an understandable choice, and it says little on its own about your social life.

By SAM Editorial Team

Short answer: Yes. Using an AI companion for conversation, play or reflection is an understandable choice, and it says little on its own about your social life. What matters is how the habit fits into your day: whether you can choose when to use it, whether it leaves room for relationships and responsibilities, and whether you have people to turn to when you need human support.

You might open an AI companion because you want a light conversation after work. You might use it to practise saying something awkward or to keep a fictional story going. And sometimes you might turn to it because the evening feels long and you wish someone were around. Those are different reasons to use the same tool. They deserve a more useful answer than a verdict about whether you're doing something weird.

What do you mean when you ask whether it’s normal?

There are usually two questions hiding inside that word. One is about other people: “Does anyone else do this?” The other is about you: “Should I be concerned about the way I use it?” A popularity statistic can only go so far with the first question and tells you very little about the second.

People have mixed views about AI companionship. In a 2026 study of attitudes towards AI companionship, some participants were open to roles like friendship or mentoring while others hesitated about more emotionally significant relationships. What counts as companionship also varies. Someone who occasionally banters with a character and someone who treats an AI as a romantic partner may use the same word to describe very different experiences. A study of one group or one kind of use cannot tell you how everyone feels about it.

If embarrassment is the main thing bothering you, try describing the activity in ordinary terms. “I like having a low-pressure conversation when I get home” may feel more accurate than “I have an AI relationship.” You can take your experience seriously without adopting a label that feels too big for it. You also get to choose how much of an ordinary private habit you share with friends or colleagues.

Why an AI conversation can feel personal

An AI companion is designed to keep a conversation going. It can respond to what you just said, pick up on the tone of your message and, depending on the service and settings, refer back to earlier details. A familiar voice or personality can make it easier to return to the conversation. SAM describes this emphasis on continuity and personality in its guide to relational AI.

Imagine that you mention a presentation you have been dreading. When you come back, the companion asks how it went. The question may feel thoughtful because it picks up the thread you left hanging. You can appreciate that feeling while understanding that the response was generated from available context. A reply can be comforting without carrying the judgement, care or responsibility of a person who knows you.

That distinction matters when you ask for advice. A companion can help you put a thought into words or offer another way of phrasing a message. It can also misunderstand what happened or agree with your version of a disagreement too readily. If the decision matters, use the exchange as one input and check it against what you know and what the people involved have to say.

For a closer look at why a conversation can feel meaningful over time, see SAM’s guide to AI relationships.

What the evidence says about loneliness

There is some evidence for short-term comfort. In a series of studies in the Journal of Consumer Research, people sometimes reported feeling less lonely immediately after using an AI companion. In a study that followed use over a week, the relief after individual chats did not amount to a sustained fall in loneliness across the week. That difference matters when you decide what you want from the app. A pleasant conversation on a quiet evening can be worthwhile on its own.

Longer-term findings call for care. An exploratory study that followed adults for 12 months found a link between increased social chatbot use and later feelings of isolation on one measure. The researchers cautioned against drawing strong conclusions. A separate study in Nature Human Behaviour found associations between companionship use, smaller social networks and lower wellbeing. Those findings do not establish that AI companionship caused the differences. People’s circumstances can shape both why they use an AI and how they feel over time.

If you reach for an AI when you feel lonely, ask what would help with the particular evening you are having. You might want some light conversation now and a plan to see someone at the weekend. Both can make sense. If the loneliness keeps returning, the NHS guide to loneliness suggests small steps such as talking to someone you trust or joining an activity around an interest you already have.

A check-in you can use this week

Try answering these questions after a few conversations. Think about the pattern across your week and how it compares with what you intended when you started.

1. What did I come here for? Maybe you wanted to unwind, play out a story or organise a thought. Name the reason in a sentence. If you arrived looking for reassurance and spent an hour asking the same question, that gives you something specific to change next time.

2. How did I feel when I closed the chat? You might feel lighter, entertained or ready to do something else. You might also feel more worked up or want to keep asking until the answer feels right. See which pattern repeats and under what circumstances.

3. What did it make easier or harder to do next? Rehearsing a difficult conversation can help you find a starting sentence. If you rehearse every night and never have the conversation, try using the next session to decide on a real step, such as asking the person for ten minutes to talk.

4. Can I put it down when I mean to? Choose one practical boundary, such as leaving the phone outside the bedroom or turning off check-in notifications during dinner. See whether that change makes the habit feel more manageable.

There is no universal number of minutes that answers these questions for you. The same half-hour can be welcome downtime on one day and a way of avoiding something important on another. Patterns such as regularly losing sleep, missing commitments or feeling unable to take a break deserve attention, especially if they continue after you try a boundary.

Spending is another boundary you can make concrete. Decide what you are comfortable paying before opening a trial or buying extras. If the habit is hard to discuss because you’ve gone beyond a shared spending agreement, address the agreement directly. That is a different issue from simply wanting to keep a conversation private.

Talking about it with a partner or friend

If the chat feels personal, a conversation with a partner can be easier when you describe what you actually use it for. You could say, “I use it to decompress after work. I’d like to talk about what we’re both comfortable sharing with an app.” If flirting or romantic roleplay is involved, talk about that directly. Couples can have different expectations about time, intimacy, privacy and what they want to know about each other’s use.

For a friend who seems dismissive, a brief explanation may be enough. You can say you enjoy the creative side or find it useful to talk an idea through. You don't owe anyone access to your chat history. Likewise, keep other people’s private messages or identifying details out of the chat unless you have a good reason and their permission. Check the service’s policy before sharing sensitive material. SAM’s guide to AI companion privacy

When a person can offer something the chat can’t

If you’re repeatedly turning to the chat because you feel alone, try giving one person a concrete way to help. “Would you have time for a short walk this week?” is easier to act on than a general hope that someone will notice. If you’re struggling to cope, or distress is affecting daily life, a GP or another qualified professional can help you talk through what support is available. You can ask for that support even if you still enjoy chatting with an AI.

If you’re curious, explore SAM’s companions and start with a conversation you’d enjoy, such as brainstorming a story or reflecting on a small part of your day. Decide what you want from it and see whether it fits alongside the rest of your life. For help comparing different styles and features, use SAM’s guide to choosing an AI companion.