AI chatbots are tools powered by artificial intelligence that simulate human conversations using natural language processing. Fueled by a growing demand for around-the-clock support services, the chatbot market is projected to grow 23.3% annually, reaching $15.5 billion by 2028.1 Chatbots deliver answers nearly three times faster than people, saving time and money. As such, 62% of consumers now prefer interacting with digital customer assistance over human agents. At the same time, AI chatbots are also evolving as emotional companions, problem-solvers and creative partners. Chatbots are not only filling customer service needs but also fulfilling people’s emotional needs.
AI Offers Career Guidance, Emotional Advice and Life Coaching
Generative AI chatbots such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini and Inflection’s Pi are trained with vast amounts of data, allowing them to understand and respond to humans with remarkable accuracy. Despite initial skepticism surrounding AI, it is increasingly viewed as a life coach, problem-solver and go-to portable teacher. It does not simply automate tasks. It can deliver insights that help people navigate personal and professional dilemmas. Whether offering motivational advice or breaking down complex decisions, AI is becoming a companion in daily life.
In a world becoming increasingly reliant on technology, AI chatbots have emerged as emotional support systems. A few stimulants that drive people to seek emotional sanctuary in AI include anxiety, depression, stress, and conflict. The National Institutes of Health conducted a study with 19 participants who utilize chatbots at least several times a week to help them address feelings of depression, loss or conflict. Users reported positive mental health outcomes, such as improved relationships, healing from trauma, and reduced stress.1F2 Themes of emotional sanctuary, the joy of connection, insightful guidance, and AI therapy characterized their real-life experiences with AI chatbots.
The Rise of Chatbots
From marketers to healthcare professionals, businesses are adopting chatbots for their speed, efficiency, and intelligence. In the U.S., one in five adults have used a chatbot in the past month, with ChatGPT leading as the most used chatbot.2F3 Americans are increasingly choosing to ask AI chatbots questions over legacy search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo. As a result, by 2026, traditional search engine volume is expected to drop 25%.3
To provide timely and accurate service, businesses are automating operational functions through chatbots. Business leaders report a 67% increase in sales initiated from bot interactions.1 Bots are also capable of handling live-chat interactions, so businesses are integrating them on company websites to address customer inquiries and resolve common issues. Further, 55% of companies use chatbots for marketing tasks that increase the number of potential customers.1 Other chatbot functions include IT services, scheduling, and training.
AI Bridges Gaps in Executive Function
With the onset of AI, people understood it as a tool designed to automate repetitive tasks and increase efficiency. However, that is a much too simple way of acknowledging AI’s boundless capabilities. Able to process large amounts of data, AI can think creatively, problem-solve, and make ethical decisions through machine learning, natural language processing, and neural networks—computing systems that continuously learn and improve with more data.4
Given this vast potential, it is no surprise that adoption is accelerating. Approximately 85% of organizations already use or are piloting generative AI.5 Of those using AI, 58% attribute enhanced efficiency and teamwork to AI, and 67% of organizations expect high returns on investment within the next two to four years.6
Emotional AI as a Media Co-creator
Emotional AI, previously termed affective computing, is a form of AI that can interpret and simulate human emotions and, thus, enhance audience interactions with advertisements.7 Emotional AI transforms the ad landscape, allowing advertisers to offer highly personalized messages to consumers. For instance, machines can listen to voice inflections and correlate vocal tones with stress or anger. AI chatbots can also analyze images and recognize micro-changes in human facial expressions. With these profound capabilities, emotional AI can provide insights to advertisers, marketers, and content creators across a variety of industries.
23% higher sales lift
For advertisements that achieve strong emotional engagement scores through emotional AI, compared to those with lower emotional engagement 6
16% boost in viewer engagement
When emotional AI is used to analyze audience reactions 6
25% increase in ad effectiveness
When campaigns incorporate emotional feedback in real time, allowing dynamic adjustments to content and messaging 6
Sources:
- Master of Code. Chatbot Statistics: What Businesses Need to Know About Digital Assistants
- National Institutes of Health. “It happened to be the perfect thing”: experiences of generative AI chatbots for mental health
- Backlinko. As of April 4, 2025.
- SAS. Artificial Neural Networks
- Harvard Business Review. Navigating the Generative AI Landscape
- AlfaPeople. AI is scoring big on efficiency
- Alpenglo Digital. How Emotional AI Shapes the Future of Advertising
