On the Dark Side of AI Companions – How a Parasocial Preference for a Social Chatbot Can Lead to Pathological Chatbot Use

Social chatbots are becoming increasingly popular due to their ability to simulate human interactions and build socio-emotional relationships with users. However, along with the positive effects come potential risks. For example, a parasocial preference for a social chatbot could contribute to excessive and unregulated chatbot use, jeopardizing users' well-being. As the potential harms associated with social chatbots are largely unexplored, there is a need to integrate theories into the IS literature that explain the negative effects of a parasocial preference for a social chatbot. Therefore, we apply the cognitive- behavioral model of pathological internet use to human-chatbot interactions. We conducted two empirical studies and found that a parasocial preference contributes to deficient self-regulation regarding chatbot use and promotes the use of the chatbot for mood regulation. Furthermore, deficient self-regulation increases the risk of pathological chatbot use, especially among lonely users.