Interpersonal AI Use and Attachment

The present study examined the extent to which individuals use artificial intelligence (AI) for different interpersonal functions and how AI use was related to attachment anxiety and avoidance. Undergraduate students (N = 452) completed a survey assessing AI use for a range of professional and interpersonal purposes. Exploratory factor analysis identified four domains of AI use: Interpersonal Support, Relational Communication Assistance (e.g., drafting emails), Relational Engagement with AI (i.e., friendship or romantic partnership with AI), and Professional Assistance. Attachment anxiety and avoidance were positively associated with Interpersonal Support, anxiety was positively associated with Relational Communication, and avoidance was positively associated with Relational Engagement. Many associations were stronger for males than females, and males reported greater interpersonal AI use overall. Attachment dimensions were largely unrelated to Professional Assistance. These findings highlight the role of attachment in shaping emerging interpersonal uses of AI and extend attachment theory to human–AI interaction contexts.