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Artificial Intimacy: A Study of AI Usage and Loneliness Across Gender and Age

Udd, Adrian LU and Nobel, Antonia LU (2025) PSYK12 20251
Department of Psychology
Abstract
This study investigates the relationship between self-reported loneliness and AI usage, distinguishing between social (e.g., chatbots) and productive (e.g., academic tools) usage across gender and age. In total, 92 participants completed the UCLA Loneliness Scale and two custom AI usage scales. Findings reveal that loneliness significantly predicts greater use of social AI, but not productive usage. Gender differences emerged: men reported higher loneliness, while women engaged more with AI in a social context. No significant age effects were found, likely due to the sample’s skew towards younger adults. These results suggest that AI may serve as a substitute for social connection, particularly for those experiencing loneliness. However,... (More)
This study investigates the relationship between self-reported loneliness and AI usage, distinguishing between social (e.g., chatbots) and productive (e.g., academic tools) usage across gender and age. In total, 92 participants completed the UCLA Loneliness Scale and two custom AI usage scales. Findings reveal that loneliness significantly predicts greater use of social AI, but not productive usage. Gender differences emerged: men reported higher loneliness, while women engaged more with AI in a social context. No significant age effects were found, likely due to the sample’s skew towards younger adults. These results suggest that AI may serve as a substitute for social connection, particularly for those experiencing loneliness. However, this reliance raises concerns about emotional authenticity and overdependence. The study underscores the importance of understanding demographic factors in AI interaction and calls for broader, longitudinal research to explore the relationship between AI usage and Loneliness. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Följande studie undersöker sambandet mellan självrapporterad ensamhet och användning av artificiell intelligens (AI), med en uppdelning mellan social (t.ex. chattbotar) och produktiv (t.ex. akademiska verktyg) användning, utifrån kön och ålder. Totalt besvarade 92 deltagare UCLA Loneliness Scale samt två egenutvecklade skalor för AI-användning. Resultaten visar att ensamhet signifikant predicerar ökad användning av social AI, men inte av produktiv AI. Könsskillnader framkom: män rapporterade högre ensamhet, medan kvinnor använde social AI i större utsträckning. Inga signifikanta ålderseffekter observerades, troligen på grund av urvalets snedfördelning mot yngre vuxna. Resultaten antyder att AI eventuellt används som ersättning för social... (More)
Följande studie undersöker sambandet mellan självrapporterad ensamhet och användning av artificiell intelligens (AI), med en uppdelning mellan social (t.ex. chattbotar) och produktiv (t.ex. akademiska verktyg) användning, utifrån kön och ålder. Totalt besvarade 92 deltagare UCLA Loneliness Scale samt två egenutvecklade skalor för AI-användning. Resultaten visar att ensamhet signifikant predicerar ökad användning av social AI, men inte av produktiv AI. Könsskillnader framkom: män rapporterade högre ensamhet, medan kvinnor använde social AI i större utsträckning. Inga signifikanta ålderseffekter observerades, troligen på grund av urvalets snedfördelning mot yngre vuxna. Resultaten antyder att AI eventuellt används som ersättning för social kontakt, särskilt för individer som upplever ensamhet. Dock väcker detta frågor kring emotionell autenticitet och naiv tilltro. Studien betonar vikten av att förstå demografiska faktorer i interaktionen med AI och efterlyser bredare, långitudinell forskning för att ytterligare förstå sambandet mellan AI-användning och ensamhet. (Less)
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author
Udd, Adrian LU and Nobel, Antonia LU
supervisor
organization
course
PSYK12 20251
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Loneliness, Artificial Intelligence, Gender Differences, Age, Human-AI Interaction, Ensamhet, Artificiell Intelligens, Könsskillnader, Ålder, Människa–AI-interaktion
language
English
id
9193079
date added to LUP
2025-06-12 09:18:12
date last changed
2025-06-12 09:18:12
@misc{9193079,
  abstract     = {{This study investigates the relationship between self-reported loneliness and AI usage, distinguishing between social (e.g., chatbots) and productive (e.g., academic tools) usage across gender and age. In total, 92 participants completed the UCLA Loneliness Scale and two custom AI usage scales. Findings reveal that loneliness significantly predicts greater use of social AI, but not productive usage. Gender differences emerged: men reported higher loneliness, while women engaged more with AI in a social context. No significant age effects were found, likely due to the sample’s skew towards younger adults. These results suggest that AI may serve as a substitute for social connection, particularly for those experiencing loneliness. However, this reliance raises concerns about emotional authenticity and overdependence. The study underscores the importance of understanding demographic factors in AI interaction and calls for broader, longitudinal research to explore the relationship between AI usage and Loneliness.}},
  author       = {{Udd, Adrian and Nobel, Antonia}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Artificial Intimacy: A Study of AI Usage and Loneliness Across Gender and Age}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}