Artificial intelligence chatbots as a source of virtual social support: Implications for loneliness and anxiety management.

ABSTRACT: Loneliness, social isolation, and anxiety affect millions of people across the world. Communication technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots, can potentially offer support to those experiencing mental health challenges by providing companionship and support. Specifically, social AI can mimic human interaction, which may help alleviate loneliness and anxiety through person-centered messaging. Despite growing AI usage, there is limited research on the effectiveness of specific message types in this context. Thus, this study employed a 2 (person-centered message: high vs. low) × 2 (context: loneliness vs. anxiety) between-subjects design to test how different supportive messages from social AI chatbots impact subsequent outcomes. Results revealed that high person-centered

SUBMITTER: Merrill K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12309430 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature