ChatGPT, my AI friend: humanising AI for real-world impact

Driven by adaptive responsiveness, psychological safety, and constant availability, humans increasingly form social-like connections with artificial intelligence through personalizing interactions, such as naming systems like ChatGPT and treating them as companions. As explained by the Computers Are Social Actors (CASA) paradigm, people naturally apply social rules to technology that exhibits human-like communication, even while fully aware it is a machine (Reeves & Nass, 1996). Consequently, what starts as a functional utility for daily tasks often evolves into emotional engagement and perceived companionship through repeated, responsive interaction (Følstad et al., 2018).