AI companionship or digital entrapment? investigating the impact of anthropomorphic AI-based chatbots

Abstract

Anthropomorphic AI-based chatbots are reshaping human-machine interactions, enabling users to form emotional bonds with AI agents. While these systems provide companionship and engagement, they also raise concerns regarding digital entrapment: a complex and circular causal loop, progressively distorting relationship expectations, reinforcing emotional dependency, and increasing cognitive strain. This study investigates user perceptions and behaviors toward AI-based chatbots by analyzing 6396 Reddit threads, 47,955 comments, and 270,644 interactions across 24 communities. Using text mining techniques, sentiment analysis, and topic modeling (LDA), we identify dominant discussion themes, including AI companionship, filtering policies, and emotional entanglement with chatbots. Findings reveal that negative sentiment dominates discourses across 24 communities, with users reporting experiences of AI-induced dependency, withdrawal-like symptoms, and chatbot over-personification. Profile of Mood States (POMS) was used to triangulate the sentiment analysis and indicates that confusion and bewilderment are the most prevalent emotional states, often co-occurring with depression and exhaustion. These findings suggest that AI chatbots, while engaging, may contribute to psychological distress and unrealistic relationship expectations. Our research further highlights ethical concerns in AI engagement strategies, particularly regarding romanticized AI interactions and prolonged user retention mechanisms. Based on these findings, we propose policy and design recommendations for mitigating risks related to AI-induced digital entrapment, safeguarding vulnerable users, and enforcing ethical chatbot interactions.