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YAE! You've Got a Friend in AI

Reese Hillman

Humans are social creatures. It is imbued in our very being to form connections with those around us and feel an immense sense of longing should we fail. Now more than ever, there is a severe lack of healthy social interactions within younger generations. Perhaps it is growing up surrounded by technology, the after effects of COVID, or some other confounding variable, but it is evident in the uptake of online users turning to chatbots for comfort, advice and even romantic relationships.

I firmly believe that artificial intelligence can never truly replace human relationships and should be used with caution. However, it’s here to stay and ever-growing. The question remains: Is there any situation in which it can be beneficial to chat with an AI platform as though it were another human? I believe the answer can be ‘yes’ should it follow certain guidelines. First, there is no realm where forming a romantic relationship with AI is healthy. Second, if you find that you are dependent upon a chatbot for daily social communication, it is certainly not a healthy alternative to a human relationship. Yet, I see no serious harm in occasionally using AI to assuage minor anxiety, suggest solutions to a problem or even provide relationship advice.

In a momentary spiral, it can be useful to briefly chat with AI. If you need someone to tell you plainly that you are overthinking or that the world won’t implode, it may be helpful to send a quick chat to an AI. The same applies to email advice, date ideas, questions about symptoms you’re experiencing and other similar prompts. It is better to talk to someone than bottle up negative thoughts and emotions. If you refuse to speak to another human, I’d argue that it is better to chat with AI than remain silent. In doing so, users can process their thoughts and save themselves from potential episodes of panic. These conversations are not always accurate. Should you choose to communicate with AI in the above ways, fact-check the information you’re reading. Lastly, should you become dependent on AI in a social context, or should you become increasingly anxious following these conversations, please consult a mental health professional, speak with your rector or resident priest and perhaps join a club on campus so that you can meet others with similar interests.

NAY! Don't Confuse Convenience for Connection

Ariel Medina

In a culture obsessed with convenience, AI has quietly slipped into spaces where it doesn’t belong. People ask chatbots for dating advice, emotional support or even guidance through depression. But no matter how advanced the technology becomes, AI cannot offer what humans fundamentally need: genuine connection. Human relationships are not optional accessories to life, but a structure that holds us up. If anything, relying on AI for emotional clarity is like trying to warm yourself with a picture of a fire. It looks convincing, but it will never give you real heat.

Growing up in a traditional Hispanic household, I was taught to handle my problems with resilience and honesty. You talk to people you trust, you face what hurts and you keep moving. That doesn’t mean emotions aren’t serious, because they are. Depression is real, and navigating it requires care, patience and community. What worries me today is how easily people turn to AI for quick reassurance. A chatbot will always agree with you, validate you and give you the “right” answer. But easy answers aren’t the same as truthful ones, and they certainly aren’t the same as human support.

AI can mimic empathy, but it cannot feel it. It can generate your favorite comforting words but cannot possibly understand the weight behind them. When someone confides in a machine, they’re not building trust but outsourcing vulnerability. And vulnerability is the foundation of every meaningful relationship, whether romantic, platonic or somewhere in between. You cannot build a marriage, friendship or sense of self with a thing that has no lived experience.

Human connection is irreplaceable because it’s messy, unpredictable and real. It challenges us to conquer character-shaping experiences which then lead to our overall evolution. Yes, AI offers the shortcuts, but shortcuts rarely lead anywhere worth going. At the end of the day, when it comes to mental health, relationships and identity, a machine is only going to echo your words. Only a human can meet you where you are.