Companionship in Digital and Social Transitions: A Systematic Literature Review

In China, services centered around companionship are gaining significant popularity, such as climbing companion service at Mount Tai and gaming companion service on platforms like Douyu. These services fulfill both functional and emotional needs, shaping unique consumer experiences. Globally, the rise of AI companions has further amplified interest in companionship, with technologies such as ChatGPT alleviating loneliness and fostering emotional connections (Moravec et al., 2024). The growing prominence of companionship services is closely tied to social and technological transformations. The spread of loneliness (Wang et al., 2021) and the rise of experiential consumption (Gilovich et al., 2015) are reshaping consumer intentions and behavior. Advancements in digital technology have also revolutionized the field of companionship, leveraging big data and algorithms to efficiently match consumer needs with the specific skills or resources of service providers. Despite the rising prominence of companionship services, the extant literature remains fragmented. To address this gap, this study employs a systematic literature review to develop a conceptual framework that integrates empirical evidence and multiple theoretical perspectives. The contributions of this research mainly include three aspects. Theoretically, this study synthesizes fragmented studies to address gaps in understanding companionship. Secondly, this article promotes the existing understanding and emphasis on companionship in the field of marketing. Companionship is not only regarded as a tool to meet emotional and social needs, but also as an important factor to influence consumer decision-making and improve consumer experience. Thirdly, the study will provide valuable advice for improving the quality of companionship services