When AI becomes social: the promise and risks of AI companions for mental health – a social brain perspective

AI companions are emerging as psychosocial technologies that may reshape social connection and mental health, while also creating risks of emotional dependence. Here, we propose a social-brain framework explaining how attachment, reward, and emotion regulation systems may shape human–AI bonding. This framework highlights the importance of understanding how AI companionship may reshape social connection and mental health, suggests an overarching model that accounts for the complex interplay between the human interface, technology design and context, and provides insights for the responsible design of future AI systems.