Psychological support through artificial intelligence: can AI chatbots save you from loneliness?

In the context of the digital transformation of society, artificial intelligence (AI) is used in various fields, including psychological support. This study explores the effectiveness of chatbots with built-in artificial intelligence when used to reduce subjective loneliness — an emotional state associated with a lack of significant social ties and negatively affecting psychological health. The four-week experiment involved 294 people divided into two groups. One group interacted daily with AI chatbots (ChatGPT, Google Assistant, Siri, etc.), while the other group received psychoeducational materials. The UCLA Loneliness Scale was used to assess the dynamics. The results showed that daily communication with AI chatbots had led to a statistically significant decrease in the level of loneliness. In the control group, on the contrary, an increase in indicators was recorded, which may be due to the lack of an interactive component and emotional support. Intergroup differences were confirmed by statistical analysis methods. The key mechanisms of the effect were personalization of support, round-the-clock availability, and imitation of empathic interaction by an AI chatbot. However, it is important to consider potential risks; excessive virtual interaction can reduce motivation to establish real social contacts. For safe implementation of AI chatbots in the practice of psychological support, it is necessary to: develop ethical standards for their use; create algorithms that prevent the user from becoming dependent on digital technology; integrate the technology into comprehensive support programs that combine digital and traditional formats of work. A promising direction is the development of «hybrid» models where AI chatbots act as a complement to, and not a replacement for, human communication.