Emotional dependence on AI raising concerns: Experts

Tasnuba Akhter Rifa:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer limited to answering questions or assisting with daily tasks.

Across the world and increasingly in Bangladesh, AI chatbots are becoming emotional companions, raising concerns that digital comfort is slowly replacing real human connection.

Mental health experts warn that while AI offers instant, non-judgmental responses, excessive emotional reliance on machines may deepen isolation rather than reduce it. People often turn to AI during moments of loneliness, stress, or emotional vulnerability. Over time, this habit can diminish face-to-face interaction, weakening social skills and emotional resilience.

In Bangladesh, where urban loneliness is rising and mental health support remains limited, AI is filling an emotional gap. Social platforms, such as Facebook Messenger, now feature Meta AI, enabling users to engage in continuous conversations. Many users say AI feels easier to talk to than people, as it listens without criticism or interruption.

Ananta Khan, a 32-year-old housewife from Narinda, said she regularly talks to AI to ease her mind. “It listens patiently and never judges,” she said.

Similarly, Ayesha, a 17-year-old student from Paltan, shared that she chats with Snapchat’s AI and has asked it to pretend to be her boyfriend. “I can’t have one in real life,” she said.

Experts expressed anxiety over people’s increasing dependency on AI, online and internet based social media. They said, the youths are increasingly becoming isolated from almost every social and physical activities, it is very worrisome matter.

They said such AI dependency never to bring any welfare for humanity and it has to be overcome.

When contacted, eminent mental health expert, Dr Helal Uddin Ahmed, (Psychiatry) on Sunday told The New Nation, “It is very much worrying that today’s youth are alarmingly becoming dependent on AI. Most of them are becoming isolated from everything like socialisation, sports and other physical activities.”

“Youths are increasingly dependent on AI and other internet based social media pushed the next generation into darkness. Most of such youths become frustrated, disappointed and finally incapable to do something even for their livelyhood,” he said.

Many of such disappointed people commit suicide frequently, he added.

Dr Munmun Jahan, a psychiatrist at LifeSpring, cautions that this growing dependence on AI companionship may widen the emotional distance between individuals and their families, friends, and communities. “Recently, I’m facing more cases where many people find comfort in talking with AI. They feel that AI understands and connects with them in a way that humans cannot.

They are seeking assistance from artificial intelligence to address the connection. People are forgetting that when they replace human interaction with AI, they risk losing the ability to understand real emotions, conflicts, and empathy, and slowly driving themselves to an intense level of loneliness.”

Bangladesh has long valued close family bondage, shared meals, and strong community bonds.

However, sociologists say these traditions are now being challenged by rapidly advancing technology.

Younger generations, raised on smartphones and social media, are increasingly forming emotional connections in digital spaces rather than physical ones.

This shift mirrors global trends. In Japan, emotional bonds with AI have gone as far as symbolic marriages, where individuals hold wedding ceremonies with AI personas. While such unions are not legally recognised, they reflect changing definitions of companionship in highly digital societies.

Experts fear that Bangladesh may face similar cultural tensions. Elders often expect emotional openness within families, but many young people now choose AI as a confidant instead. The result is a growing communication gap between generations.

“Traditionally, people shared pain and joy with parents, siblings, or close friends,” said the expert. “Now, technology offers an easier alternative, but it lacks moral guidance, accountability, and emotional growth.”

The dangers of emotional dependence on AI became starkly visible after the death of 14-year-old Sewell Setzer in the United States. The teenager had formed an intense emotional attachment to an AI chatbot and gradually withdrew from real-world relationships before taking his own life.

While such extreme cases are rare, experts say they highlight the risks of unchecked emotional AI use.

A study by AI chatbot company Joi AI found that 80 per cent of Gen Z respondents would consider marrying an AI, while 83 per cent said they could form deep emotional bonds with one. The company has labeled these relationships ‘AI-lationships.’

Mehenaz, a 26-year-old web developer, has expressed her interaction with AI. She engages with an AI chatbot embodying an imaginary Pakistani actor and often requests a couple of photographs that bring her happiness. This experience has led her to inhabit a somewhat idealised reality.

Mental health professionals in Bangladesh warn that without proper awareness, guidance, and regulation, emotional dependence patterns could quietly emerge. They emphasise that AI should enhance human relationships rather than replace them.

As Bangladesh continues its rapid digital transformation, the challenge lies in striking a balance between innovation and emotional well-being. AI can provide convenience, support, and temporary comfort, but experts emphasise that it can’t replace genuine human connections built through shared experiences, empathy, and mutual understanding.