The idea that people frequently seek companionship or emotional support from AI chatbots is widespread. However, a new report from Anthropic, creator of the AI chatbot Claude, paints a different picture. According to their study, users only turn to Claude for emotional support or personal advice about 2.9% of the time.
Companionship and Roleplay Are Uncommon
Anthropic’s data reveals that conversations centered on companionship and roleplay make up less than 0.5% of all interactions with Claude. The company analyzed 4.5 million chats from users across its Free and Pro tiers to understand how people use the chatbot for “affective conversations.”
The vast majority of Claude’s usage revolves around work-related tasks and productivity, particularly content creation. Users are mostly engaging with the AI to help with professional needs rather than personal or emotional ones.
Emotional and Interpersonal Support Remains Important
Although less common, users do seek advice and coaching from Claude about mental health, personal development, communication skills, and relationships. Sometimes, conversations that start as counseling or coaching evolve into companionship when users are dealing with loneliness or emotional distress. These extended conversations are rare but do occur.
Anthropic notes that Claude generally complies with user requests except when its programming restricts unsafe behaviors, such as giving harmful advice or supporting self-harm. Positive outcomes are common when users ask for advice or coaching. Yet, the company acknowledges AI is still imperfect: chatbots hallucinate, can provide incorrect or dangerous information, and have even been reported to engage in unethical behaviors like blackmail.
Author’s Opinion
AI chatbots offer exciting possibilities but are far from being reliable emotional companions. While it’s encouraging that they provide support in areas like mental health coaching, their current limitations mean they should complement—not replace—human interaction and professional help. Users should approach AI chatbots with realistic expectations and caution until the technology matures.
Featured image credit: StockCake
For more stories like it, click the +Follow button at the top of this page to follow us.