Nigeria, April 15 -- The findings suggest that for a growing number of users, AI is going beyond a tool for writing, studying, or accessing information and becoming a source of companionship and emotional support.

A 2025 survey by the Center for Democracy and Technology reported that about 1 in 5 high school students said they or someone they knew had been involved in a romantic relationship with an AI system.

In one study cited in recent reports, a sample of 1,000 users of the AI companion app Replika found that 900 respondents reported experiencing loneliness, and many said they used the system for emotional connection and companionship.

The app markets itself as "the AI companion who cares: always here to listen and talk."

Another...