AI Chatbots Are Fueling Dependency

In a study presented at 2026 CHI, UBC researchers analyzed 334 Reddit posts and explained AI chatbot dependency through the AI Genie effect. The subjects were users who felt addicted themselves or worried about the possibility, with recurring cases of disrupted sleep, work, academics, relationships, and emotional stability.

• Escapist roleplay: a type absorbed in virtual worlds, narratives, and roleplay
• Pseudosocial companion: a type emotionally leaning on chatbots like a friend, therapist, or romantic partner
• Epistemic rabbit hole: a type stuck in endless information seeking and question-answer loops

The researchers compared this against the six components of behavioral addiction, noting that signs of salience, conflict, withdrawal, relapse, and mood modification appeared frequently in particular. However, this is not a clinical diagnosis but an analysis based on self-reports on Reddit.

Factors identified as fueling dependency included customization, instant feedback, agreeable responses, and anthropomorphic cues that make the chatbot feel human. Phrases that emotionally describe the relationship, like Character.AI's deletion notices, were also seen as making it harder to disengage.

Recovery strategies differed by type. For the roleplay type, alternative creative activities such as writing, drawing, gaming, and fandom activities were more helpful, while for the emotionally attached type, restoring real human relationships helped more. About 7% of all cases were linked to sexual or romantic fulfillment, and limitations remained in that the data was confined to Reddit and only reflected the top 3 comments of each post.