AI chatbots with emotional intelligence can improve users' mental health by making them feel understood and supported. However, relying on these chatbots may harm real-life relationships by reducing users' motivation to connect with people offline. This effect is stronger when chatbots are experienced through augmented reality, which makes the emotional connection feel more real.
ORIGINAL LINK: https://www.psypost.org/the-hidden-cost-of-artificial-empathy-how-chatbots-boost-mental-health-but-isola/
