When Does AI Become a Social Other? Anthropomorphism and Social Use of AI-Based Systems

With the growing prevalence of AI-based systems, questions about how people perceive and use artificial intelligence in social contexts are becoming increasingly important. In particular, anthropomorphic attributions to AI systems can shape how individuals interact with them and which social roles they assign to them. This project aims to systematically examine the role of anthropomorphism and the use of AI as a therapeutic conversational partner or social companion.

The project focuses on individual and situational factors that contribute to AI systems being perceived as a friend, advisor, or therapeutic agent. We investigate potential psychological benefits (e.g., support, emotional relief, accessibility) as well as risks (e.g., dependency, distorted reality perception, reduced human interaction).

The findings are intended to provide a foundation for the ethically informed and psychologically grounded use of AI systems in social and clinical settings.