The Case for Mass Media Communication Theories in the Study of Artificial Intelligence: A Uses and Gratifications & Parasocial Interaction Theory Approach

This study analyzes communication and relationship building between textual generative Artificial Intelligence programs and their users through the lens of parasocial interactions and uses and gratifications. It measures loneliness, knowledge gaining, and task completion as the primary reasons motivating perceived relationship development with AI applications. Through a quantitative survey, it explores the connections between time spent using AI, as well as the previously mentioned factors and seeks to determine what influences a user’s perceived relationship with an AI chatbot program. Comparisons are also drawn between the relationships with AI and the user’s relationships with celebrities, further expanding the justification for utilizing a parasocial framework for analyzing human-AI interactions. This thesis looks at determining a correlation between time spent using AI, one’s attitude towards AI, and one’s reasons for using AI and one’s relationship with AI. As AI software such as ChatGPT is further integrated into our lives, this study focuses on critically examining the ways in which human-AI interactions are developing. It suggests that parasocial interaction scales can be applied to human-AI communication as AI responses become increasingly better at mimicking human behavior. The study found a significant positive relationship between the time one has spent using AI and their perceived relationship with AI, the total time since one has first used AI and their perceived relationship with AI, how lonely one is and their perceived relationship with AI, and one’s attitudes towards AI and their perceived relationship with AI, and the reasons why one uses AI.