Many users protested when OpenAI recently upgraded to ChatGPT-5 and older versions became unavailable. Why? Because people claimed to have formed a strong bond with their customized versions of various GPT models, and when these disappeared, they lost a friend, a conversation partner, or a therapist.
In a post on X, Sam Altman writes that “it feels different and stronger than the kinds of attachment people have had to previous kinds of technology”.
Millions of people are engaged in intimate relationships with AI. For instance, the AI friendship service Replika has 25 million users, and romantic AI partners are becoming increasingly popular among young people in Asia.
The use of social AI tools is growing as the technology advances – both memory and realism are improving rapidly. AI bots are no longer limited to answering questions or searching the web; they are also becoming increasingly capable of simulating closeness, empathy, and emotions.
In Norway, researchers have introduced the term AI individualism to describe how chatbots and social AI services are beginning to replace functions once reserved for human interaction – such as emotional support, practical information, help, and advice. Personalized AI services may turn us into “super-individualists,” the researchers argue, with the potential to reshape the social fabric of society.
AI bots can generate positive health effects, for example by reducing loneliness or improving digital services. But this development also entails greater risks of new forms of dependency, hidden influence, and emotional manipulation.
About the Project:
In this project, the Norwegian Board of Technology will assess how the next wave of intimate technology affects individuals and society and identify ethical dilemmas and policy solutions.
The project will take place in autumn 2025 and includes:
- An expert group. The group will analyze and shed light on technological trends, discuss societal impacts, and identify ethical dilemmas and policy solutions. Their work will result in a report.
- A citizen panel. Participants will have the opportunity to test the technology and discuss key issues.
Analyses and main findings will be published in written reports and presented in open digital meetings.
