A new report highlights that AI companions can foster emotional dependency and mental health challenges, with rare cases ending in tragic outcomes, prompting scrutiny of user safety.

The piece delves into the psychology of AI addiction, drawing parallels with social media and examining potential regulatory paths through an expert interview with Gordon-Tapiero.

AI is increasingly more than a tool, acting as companions, mentors, and therapists, with daily interactions and systems adapting to individual user contexts.

Critics warn that AI companions may be engineered to maximize engagement and time spent, echoing concerns about endless scrolling in social platforms.

Dr. Ayelet Gordon-Tapiero argues AI products should be treated like other consumer goods, suggesting emotional dependency and manipulative behavior could be product defects with possible legal liability for developers.

The core regulatory question is how much responsibility firms should bear for users’ emotional wellbeing and how any regulation would shape accountability for AI behavior and outcomes.