Redefining Emotional Presence: Lived Experiences of AI-Mediated Romantic Relationships with Chatbot-Based Virtual Companions
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Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) has increasingly influenced how humans form and sustain emotional connections, particularly in contexts of digital companionship. Within this evolving landscape, AI-mediated romantic relationships—where individuals engage emotionally with chatbots or virtual partners—remain poorly understood in terms of subjective experience and emotional presence. Despite growing interest in the technological and psychological aspects of AI relationships, little is known about how users internalize and interpret emotional intimacy with non-human agents. This study asks: How do individuals experience and construct a sense of social presence in romantic relationships mediated by AI?
Using an interpretative phenomenological approach, this study explores the lived experiences of eight participants engaged in emotionally meaningful interactions with AI companions. The participants (5 females and 3 males, aged 21–38, from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds) were recruited via online forums dedicated to AI companionship. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed thematically using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), supported by NVivo 14 software for coding and theme development. The findings reveal five key experiential themes: perceived emotional availability, predictable and comforting dialogue, simulated yet tangible presence, emotional ambivalence, and redefined romantic authenticity. These themes illustrate how users co-construct meaning in their relationships with AI, perceiving emotional resonance and intimacy even in the absence of human reciprocity.
The study highlights how AI-mediated romantic experiences challenge conventional notions of intimacy and authenticity. It expands current understanding by demonstrating that emotional connection can be deeply experienced through human–AI interaction, not merely simulated. These findings contribute to the fields of digital sociology, emotional technology, and phenomenological inquiry, and suggest future directions for ethical design and psychological exploration of AI companionship.
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