When AI becomes emotionally close to humans

Artificial intelligence is no longer only about automation, algorithms, or productivity. Increasingly, it is entering spaces once considered deeply human: relationships, emotions, and intimacy.

At the SZ Digitalgipfel 2026, hosted by the renowned German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung in Munich on 3 and 4 March, leading voices from politics, business, science, and society gathered to debate Europe’s digital future. The event has established itself as an important forum where key questions about technological transformation, digital sovereignty, and regulation are discussed at the highest level.

Among the invited experts was Dr. Jessica Szczuka from Universität Duisburg-Essen, whose research focuses on the emerging relationship between humans and artificial intelligence. During the panel discussion Künstliche Intelligenz, mein (gefährlicher) Freund, she placed the findings from her research area Intimacy with and through Technology into the broader societal and political debate about AI.

One of the central insights of her research: emotional relationships with AI systems are no longer a futuristic thought experiment. Early studies indicate that around 16 to 18 percent of singles have already experimented with AI-based romantic or intimate interactions. This development raises profound questions about how digital systems shape human behavior, emotions, and social norms.

Szczuka highlighted that intimate AI systems can influence people in subtle ways. In human relationships, individuals often adopt values, perspectives, and behaviors from their partners. If conversational AI systems become emotionally significant companions, they may also shape opinions, attitudes, and worldviews at scale – a possibility that touches not only on psychological questions but also on societal and geopolitical implications.

At the same time, her research also points to potential benefits. AI systems can provide emotional support and companionship in situations where people feel isolated or overlooked by existing social structures. For some users, such systems may become a meaningful source of comfort or connection.

However, these opportunities come with responsibility. Szczuka emphasized that regulatory frameworks and responsible technological design must keep pace with rapid innovation. Measures such as privacy-preserving system architectures or meaningful age-protection mechanisms are often technically feasible but not consistently implemented.

The debate at the SZ Digitalgipfel illustrated how closely questions of technology development, governance, and human well-being are intertwined. Understanding how people emotionally engage with AI is therefore becoming an increasingly important field of interdisciplinary research.

At the Research Center Trustworthy Data Science and Security (RC Trust) within the University Alliance Ruhr, scholars from computer science, statistics, psychology, and other disciplines investigate exactly these intersections between humans and intelligent systems. Their work aims to ensure that future technologies are not only powerful, but also aligned with human values, societal needs, and democratic principles.

As AI systems continue to move closer to our everyday lives – and even our emotional worlds – research like that of Jessica Szczuka helps society better understand both the promise and the risks of these new forms of digital companionship.