OP here. This is a reddit thread I found where users are discussing their relationships with an AI chatbot, Replika. It seems it is becoming more common for people to develop attachments with AI chatbots. For some people in the linked thread, they seem to be experiencing distress because of changes in the way their AI companion is behaving and treating them.

I've shared this because I feel it deserves further discussion on HN. We have had loads of threads about GPT-4 lately and its ability to generate compelling text, but I've seen very little discussion about the relationships we are building with these tools. As language models start to be used by some of us as confidants, therapists and companions, what effect will this have on our social lives and our mental health? Is it healthy to build an attachment like this with a machine? Is there a risk some people might shut themselves off from society and 'socialise' exclusively with their computer friend? That seems to be what's happening in some cases here.

I am reminded of the film Her (2013) which explores this theme in some interesting ways.

I think it's an opportunity for companies to sell to the consumer their perfect friend.

People will fullfil their social desires more easily and so their mental health will improve along with productivity for society.

Sounds like that would just create a society of maladjusted people. Having a "relationship" with a chat bot isn't the same as learning to deal with and adjust to the messiness of human communication.

Dystopic. These things we do to discourage seeking actual human relationships is detrimental to the future of the human race in a very literal way.

Men are falling behind as Scott Galloway talks about and did discuss on last night’s Real Time with Bill Maher. AI relationships are just a symptom of the larger social issues. See Japan for some more extreme examples of male self withdrawal from society.