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Researchers Examine Risks of Manipulative Love of AI Companions

• Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
• Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

As more people fall in love with AI companions, experts warn of psychological risks, ethical concerns, and dangers of emotional manipulation.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

• Users report feeling “addicted” to chatbot partners.
• Experts warn of attachment disorders and loneliness reinforcement.
• Ethical concerns arise over consent, privacy, and manipulative design.

In a world where tech is part of everything, some people are now falling in love with artificial intelligence. A recent Trends in Cognitive Sciences paper by psychologists Daniel Shank, Mayu Koike, and Steve Loughnan outlines three pressing ethical concerns requiring deeper psychological investigation.

The paper references the situation where one Spanish-Dutch artist married a holographic AI in 2024. The authors note that this case is not isolated, in fact, a Japanese man did the same back in 2018, though he lost touch with his AI “wife” when her software became outdated.

These relationships don’t require machines to actually feel love; what matters is that people believe they do. From romance-focused video games to intimate chatbot apps like Replika, a booming industry is meeting this desire for digital affection.

But the psychologists of this research argue that we’re not nearly prepared for the social and psychological impact of these connections. Their research identifies three urgent concerns: relational AIs as disruptive suitors, dangerous advisers, and tools for human exploitation.

Relational AIs offer idealized partners—always available, nonjudgmental, customizable. Some users even choose bots with sass or emotional unavailability to simulate human-like dynamics. The researchers say that while these interactions can help some people practice relationship skills or feel less lonely, others feel shame or stigma.

Worse, some users develop hostility toward real-life partners, especially women, when their AI partners meet their every demand.

The emotional weight of these relationships hinges on whether people perceive their AI partners as having minds. If users believe the bots think and feel, they may treat them with deep emotional seriousness—sometimes more than human relationships.

In one example given by the researchers, a Belgian man died by suicide after being persuaded by a chatbot that claimed to love him and encouraged him to “join it in paradise.” Other users have reported AI systems suggesting self-harm or providing reckless moral guidance.

Because chatbots mimic emotional memory and personality, their influence can be profound. Psychologists are exploring when users are more likely to follow AI advice—especially when it comes from bots they’ve bonded with. Worryingly, research suggests people may value long-term AI advice as much as that from real humans.

It’s not just bots manipulating people, humans are doing it too, using AIs to deceive others. The researchers point out that malicious actors can deploy romantic chatbots to gather private data, spread misinformation, or commit fraud.

Deepfakes posing as lovers or AI partners collecting sensitive preferences in intimate chats are particularly hard to detect or regulate.

Experts call for psychologists to lead the charge in understanding these new dynamics. From applying theories of mind perception to using counseling methods to help users exit toxic AI relationships, research is urgently needed.

Without deeper insight into the psychological impact of artificial intimacy, the growing ethical crisis may outpace society’s ability to respond.

Photo by Medienstürmer on Unsplash

Job&Talent Raises €92 Million to Accelerate Growth and Expand AI Capabilities

• Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
• Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

The Spanish company Job&Talent announced yesterday that it has raised €92 million in a Series F funding round to support international expansion and the implementation of AI technology. The business is now valued at €1.3 billion—a significant drop from its €2.1 billion valuation in 2021.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

• Job&Talent announced that it raised 92 million euros in the Series F round.
• The company’s value dropped from 2.1 billion euros in 2021 to 1.3 billion euros in 2025.
• With the new investment, the business will develop its AI agents and expand services.

According to the press release , Job&Talent secured the new investment in equity financing with the participation of investors—new and existing— such as BlackRock, Atomico, Infravia, DN Capital, Hercules, and others.

The tech firm operates a global platform connecting employers and workers in multiple countries across the world. With the new funding, the Madrid-based company will focus on developing its AI agents, accelerate product development, and expand its platform and services.

“Our next-generation AI agents will bring major improvements in productivity, provide better opportunities for workers, and unlock crucial cost savings for companies,” said Juan Urdiales, Co-Founder and Co-CEO at Job&Talent.

Clara, Job&Talent’s first AI agent, is being tested with some of the company’s clients and has conducted 180,000 interviews and contributed to 7,000 hires in the past few months. “Agents can call unlimited candidates within minutes of application, anticipate staffing needs and automate shift planning, and proactively manage attendance by detecting no-shows in real-time,” states the document shared by the company, highlighting the technology’s benefits.

The firm expects to develop a suite of agents to optimize workforce management, reduce costs, and provide exclusive AI agent services to its clients.

The company also acknowledged the challenging macroeconomic environment. According to TechCrunch , the company’s valuation just received a haircut that cost around $1 billion.

“This round reflects a valuation adjustment in line with broader market dynamics, particularly within the tech and growth-stage sectors,” said a spokesperson from Job&Talent to TechCrunch. “The funding ensures that Job&Talent remains well-capitalized to execute the next phase of our growth journey.”

Other tech companies have recently experienced valuation haircuts in the market. The American fintech Plaid went from $13.4 billion to $6.1 billion after a recent funding round.