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AI companions may ease loneliness but cannot replace mutual human intimacy.

Sexual satisfaction, pleasure, and intimacy are linked to better mental health.

Physical touch and emotional vulnerability remain essential for human connection.

Overreliance on AI can reduce real-world connection and harm well-being.

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month in the U.S. This year's theme, "More Good Days, Together," focuses on the importance of connection, support, and community in emotional well-being. The campaign’s message feels especially relevant to these times, when many clients report to their therapists that they feel increasingly lonely despite being digitally connected to just about everyone in their lives. The American Psychological Association’s 2025 Stress in America survey found that more than 6 in 10 U.S. adults have felt isolated over the past year. As a relationship and Certified Sex Therapist, I've found that loneliness may be expressed through symptoms like:

A client’s reporting of low desire and less frequency of sexual intimacy with their partner.

A dating client talking about how much they miss being hugged or even touched.

A couple escalating with anger when the topic of their lackluster, boring sex life comes up in a couples therapy session.

A male partner stating he is having erectile issues and is afraid of initiating sex with his partner.

Can AI Companions Help Reduce Isolation?

As loneliness continues to rise, new studies are examining how AI tools are becoming sources of comfort and companionship for increasing numbers of people. In 2024, Chou and colleagues studied how an AI chatbot helped older adults during the COVID-19 lockdown cope with the loneliness and stress of isolation. They observed 35 adults, with an average age of 65, who had anxiety or depression. After four weeks of interacting with the AI chatbot, the subjects completed multiple self-report questionnaires. The researchers observed that the loneliness scores in adults over 65 years old improved.

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