Maybe Chatbots Shouldn’t Get to Say ‘I’ or ‘Me’

MIT researcher Sherry Turkle argues that chatbots’ use of first-person language can make them seem like caring companions, encouraging people to substitute AI interaction for human relationships. In an interview about her new book, she warns that overreliance could weaken people’s ties to one another and distract them from public life.

Turkle says social media helped normalise turning to technology for emotional support, while chatbots offer what she calls a “warm soup” of acceptance. She is particularly concerned that companies present AI as a substitute for psychotherapy and use “human in the loop” oversight to imply meaningful human involvement when workers may have little power to change AI decisions. She acknowledges that some people find chatbots helpful, but argues that loneliness should be addressed by investing in human support.