Mark Zuckerberg says people can fill the need for friends with AI, but 'there is no replacement' for human relationships, psychologist says

CNBC

09-05-2025

In an April interview on the Dwarkesh Podcast, founder and CEO of Meta Mark Zuckerberg discussed the opportunity presented by AI relationships.
The average American has "three people that they would consider friends," he said. "And the average person has demand for meaningfully more. I think it's, like, 15."
Psychologists refute the idea of the "right" number of friends. For most people, having three or four close friends is "more than enough," says Omri Gillath, professor of psychology at the University of Kansas.
Still, for those who need more, Zuckerberg believes AI will be able to fill in the gaps. "I would guess that over time," he said, "we will find the vocabulary as a society to be able to articulate why that is valuable."
Gillath disagrees with this, too. The idea that AI could one day replace human relationships is "definitely not supported by research," he says.
Interacting with the various versions of AI chatbots and friends that exist can offer "momentary advantages and benefits," says Gillath.
AI is available "24/7," for example, he says. "It's always going to be polite and always going to say the right things." But ultimately, this tech cannot offer the advantages that come with deep, long-term relationships.
"AI cannot introduce you to their network," he says as an example. It cannot play ball with you or introduce you to a potential partner. "A hug would be so much more meaningful and helpful and beneficial" than much of what AI can provide.
It is possible to like you've created a real relationship with AI, however. The New York Times recently reported on a woman who fell in love with ChatGPT, for example. But because AI can't feel back, these relationships are ultimately "fake" and "empty," says Gillath.
Thus far, what the research concludes is "there is no replacement for these close, intimate, meaningful relationships" that people can only have with other people, he says.
Not only will swapping human friendships or partners with AI versions not be fulfilling, it could make people feel worse, Gillath says. Research shows that kids who use AI experience "higher anxiety, higher depression and they're not developing their social skills."
When it comes to forming relationships in your life, Gillath advises you "use AI for practice but not as a replacement," and make sure tech use isn't taking time away from your interactions with people.
To meet new people, join clubs and organizations around your interests and work on active listening.
And remember that even as they laud AI's benefits, "these companies have agendas," he says. "They're trying to make money."
Zuckerberg himself was doing the interview on the heels of Meta's latest release, an AI app similar to the now ubiquitous ChatGPT.