More and more people are turning to AI chatbots as if they were close friends—venting about personal struggles, asking for advice, and even sharing their deepest secrets. These conversations can feel strikingly real, with some users saying they're indistinguishable from chatting with a human. Howe ver, while exchanges with AI can offer a quick emotional boost, it's still unclear whether they genuinely ease loneliness over time. In a new study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, researchers set out to ask a bigger question: can AI chatbots truly provide the kind of long-term emotional support we get from real human relationships? ...read more read less