How far removed is human–chatbot parasocial attachment from human intimacy? A study based on communication accommodation theory

Despite the widespread use of artificial intelligence technologies in romantic engagements involving humans and chatbots, the potential and limitations of such parasocial attachments have yet to receive sufficient academic attention. Applying communication accommodation theory and a mixed-methods approach, this study examined how romantic chatbots accommodate users’ personalized affective needs. The findings revealed that approximation, discourse management, and emotional expression are three strategies that chatbots moderately accommodate, contributing to positive emotional responses from users. In contrast, interpretability and relational control, which are highly context-sensitive skills, are linked to underaccommodation and negative emotional responses among users. These insights comprehensively clarify the evolving nature of romantic involvement between humans and chatbots. They also highlight multifaceted constraints on the ability of companion chatbots to replicate intimate interactions among people. This study extends parasocial interaction (PSI) theory and Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) to human–AI romantic contexts and informs the design and governance of companion chatbots.