How Do Artificially Intelligent Companions Influence Psychological Outcomes?

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

• Ages 18 years and older
• All sexes
• Healthy volunteers accepted
• Adult, Older adult

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

About this study

Official title: An Eight-Month Experimental Study of AI Companionship and Its Effects on Well-Being, Social Life, and Interpersonal Attitudes and Behaviors

Conditions

AI Companionship

Being tested

AI Companion Interaction

Keywords

artificial intelligence, AI chatbot, human-AI interaction, psychological well-being, social connection, loneliness, social interaction

Medical subject headings

Psychological Well-Being

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

• AI Companion InteractionBehavioural

  Participants assigned to the AI condition will download Replika, an AI companion application, and create a personalized AI companion. Participants will be instructed to interact with their AI companion for at least one hour per week for 10 consecutive weeks. They may interact with their AI companion as much as they would like beyond the required one hour per week.

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

1. Loneliness

   Loneliness will be assessed using the 3-item UCLA Loneliness Scale, adapted to refer to the last week. Participants rate how often they felt they lacked companionship, felt left out, and felt isolated from others on a scale from 1 (hardly ever) to 3 (often). Higher scores indicate greater loneliness.

   Measured: Baseline and weekly through Week 10

2. General Anxiety

   General anxiety will be assessed using the 2-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-2), adapted to refer to the last week. Participants rate how often they felt nervous, anxious, or on edge and were unable to stop or control worrying from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day). Higher scores indicate greater anxiety.

   Measured: Baseline and weekly through Week 10

3. Depression

   Depression will be assessed using the 2-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2), adapted to refer to the last week. Participants rate how often they experienced little interest or pleasure in doing things and felt down, depressed, or hopeless from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day). Higher scores indicate greater depressive symptoms.

   Measured: Baseline and weekly through Week 10

4. Quantity of In-Person Interactions

   Quantity of in-person social interaction will be assessed using three face-valid items developed for this study. Items assess the frequency of getting together with friends or family in person during the last week, the number of different people spoken to in person on a typical day, and overall in-person social activity during the last week. Higher responses indicate greater quantity of in-person social interaction.

   Measured: Baseline and weekly through Week 10

5. Quality of In-Person Interactions

   Quality of in-person social interactions will be assessed using three items from the UBC State Social Connection Scale, adapted to refer to in-person interactions during the last week. Participants rate the extent to which they felt close to people, felt a sense of belonging, and felt a strong bond with others from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). Higher scores indicate greater quality of in-person social interactions.

   Measured: Baseline and weekly through Week 10

6. Aggression

   Aggression will be assessed using an adapted 12-item Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire Short Form. Participants rate statements about their thoughts and behaviors over the past two weeks from 1 (extremely uncharacteristic of me) to 6 (extremely characteristic of me). Items are summed to create a composite score, with higher scores indicating greater aggression.

   Measured: Baseline and every 2 weeks through Week 10

7. Narcissism

   Narcissism will be assessed using the 8-item Narcissistic Personality Inventory Short Form. For each item, participants choose between paired statements, with the less narcissistic response scored 1 and the more narcissistic response scored 2. Items are summed to create a composite score, with higher scores indicating greater narcissism.

   Measured: Baseline and every 2 weeks through Week 10

8. Traditional Gender Norm Beliefs

   Traditional gender norm beliefs will be assessed using the 9-item G-NORM Scale Injunctive Norm Subscale. Participants rate statements concerning traditional gender roles from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Items are summed to create a composite score, with higher scores indicating greater traditional gender norm beliefs.

   Measured: Baseline and every 2 weeks through Week 10

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

1. First posted5 Oct 2026
2. Study start1 Aug 2027 (estimated)
3. Primary completion1 Sep 2028 (estimated)
4. Study completion1 Sep 2028 (estimated)

Resources

• Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
• Other trials for AI CompanionshipStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
• More trials run by University of MichiganThe sponsor's other registered studies.
• What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.