Exploring Human-AI Companion Dynamics: The Interplay between Chatbots and Users

This study explores the changing dynamics of human-AI relationships, focusing on AI companion chatbots. Inspired by the movie "Her," we seek to understand how closeness in human-AI intimacy affects commitment and the willingness to maintain these relationships and services. Using Structural Equation Modeling, we analyze how AI chatbot features, as IT artifacts, influence the connection between intimacy and commitment. Our results will emphasize the significant role of AI companionship features and usage context in nurturing and preserving relational ties between humans and AI. This study will contribute to the theoretical comprehension of four intimacy dimensions and commitment in the human-AI framework, offering insights into these interactions' psychological and behavioral aspects. It will also have practical implications for designing AI technologies that enhance human experiences, providing guidance to academia and industry on the key factors underpinning meaningful and enduring human-AI relationships.