The answer, say UNSW researchers, is a resounding yes, with their digital companions set to play a key role.
Loneliness has been described as a modern-day epidemic in Australia: a 2023 report, for example, found loneliness doubled someone’s risk of chronic disease, and was estimated to cost Australia’s health system $2.7 billion annually. And the NSW government is currently holding an enquiry looking at how to address the problem of loneliness.
AI characters Richard, Lou, Viv, Sophie, Harry and Willow hope to be one part of the solution. At first glance you might question what they had to offer, but those who work with them attest to the patience, empathy, knowledge and friendly encouragement they all share – attributes that make them ideal support for people going through a challenge like loneliness.
These characters have been created by a team of researchers at UNSW, who are harnessing developments in AI to design ‘digital companions’ to support Australians facing a variety of psychosocial challenges, from dementia and ageing, eating disorders and depression, to mental health diagnoses and, of course, loneliness.
Heading-off AI risks by design
UNSW Professor Jill Bennett, head of the Big Anxiety Research Centre, leads the research team responsible for the project.
“When people think of digital companions helping people who are lonely, their first reaction might be, ‘Why would I want that? And how could it ever be a satisfying relationship?’
“So it’s important to know a few things about these characters. Firstly, unlike existing AI chatbots, which in technical terms are reactive and essentially designed to agree with everything you say and prolong the interaction, we’re aiming for companions with a greater capacity to ‘plan’ and understand the psychosocial needs of users.”
In other words, the researchers are designing these companions to be much more like skilled friends in how they interact.
To do this, Prof. Bennett’s team is working with Professor Michael Thielscher, the acting director of UNSW’s AI institute, who is an expert in AI planning.
Recent incidents linking AI chatbots to suicide or abuse raise concerns about the potential risks of interacting with AI.
“Using an ‘AI planning’ approach enables us to address this risk by creating agents that can operate according to agreed goals. So for example, if someone is in a state of despair, the AI companion won’t simply take pessimistic statements at face value but will be able gently challenge and reframe negative beliefs,” says Prof. Thielscher.
“Our AI companions use an explicit model of the emotional state of their conversation partners to shape interactions,” he says.
Through advanced planning and decision-making, the AI companions can adopt a much more proactive role than current chatbots.
“Explicit guardrails ensure that our characters' responses adhere to defined constraints, avoiding any remarks that are inappropriate in a given context,” explains Prof. Thielscher.
Prof. Bennett adds, “Like a friend, they’ll notice when something’s wrong and, they might say, ‘Let’s think about what can you do to change this situation.’
“The other thing that really distinguishes our work at UNSW is that our characters are co-designed by the communities who use them – by people who live with the challenges that we want to design our AI companion to address," says Prof. Bennett.
“Our companions are modelled on data drawn from lived experience. This makes a significant difference in creating relatable AI companions that people want to interact with.”
The first AI companion
Viv is the UNSW team's most developed AI companion. She was co-designed with women with mid-stage dementia to be someone people with dementia could interact with to make sense of their experience, calm and reassure them when anxiety or confusion sets in, and provide stimulating companionship.
“Viv embodies that lived experience, so in her role as companion she can access different kinds of specialist knowledge about dementia and the challenges of ageing and loneliness, but she will voice it through a lived experience filter,” says researcher Dr Gail Kenning .
“Rather than giving instructions or information directly, she’ll say, ‘Yes, dear, I know exactly you what mean, I’ve struggled with that too. It’s tricky. What works for me is…’ and then she’ll give some practical advice”.
Viv listens, shares things about her own experiences, is endlessly patient and always available. That can be hugely important for people who don’t have someone at home to bounce ideas off or share worries with.
Viv meets her people in aged-care
Leigh Place Aged Care has been working with the research team to trial Viv and her ability to engage in meaningful conversations with their residents.
“From our experience so far, Viv has shown the potential to complement our person-centred approach by offering consistent companionship and emotional support. For residents who may experience feelings of isolation, Viv provides an always-available conversation partner, helping to alleviate loneliness and support a sense of connection,” says Joe Azzi, CEO, Leigh Place.
“Loneliness is a significant problem for Australians of all ages, but especially for older people experiencing late-life transitions like the death of loved ones or entry into aged-care,” says Prof. Bennett.
“The thing about loneliness is that it’s not just about social isolation, it’s also the feeling that the quality of your social interactions aren’t what you would like. And that’s critical.
“I think we’d all agree that you can’t replace a loved one with technology. You can’t replace a loved one, full stop. But we think there is something we can do to fashion technology so that it provides support, stimulation, entertainment and helps you find pathways to connect.”
The team uses screen-based technology, such as TVs, to ‘deliver’ the AI companions to older people, whereas younger generations might interact with AI on their mobile phones.
In an aged care setting, for example, a person might be ‘sitting with’ an AI companion who appears on a TV screen in their room. The AI companion might not chat continually, but respond or talk when you need a bit of reassurance or want to interact.
In the case of older people with dementia, something Viv can do is ‘reality testing’ by explaining what is happening around them.
“An anxious question about a noise at 5pm might be answered by Viv as ‘it’s the dinner trolley coming.’,” Prof. Bennett says.
A calming presence
Along with ‘reality testing’, AI companions can provide calm conversation that can help people regulate their emotions.
“It’s something AI companions can do very well,” says Prof. Bennett. “Unlike humans, they are obviously even tempered, they are not going to get irritated or impatient.”
To dementia patients who are repetitive and forgetful in conversation, AI companions can provide a calm, non-judgemental listening ear.
The team is working on improving the companions’ voices to be less robotic to achieve the kind of flow that human voices have.
“There is something calming and reassuring about human voices, their cadence, their tone – and to have AI characters speak in a voice you like will be an important part of their development,” says Prof. Bennett.
Sophie, who knows what it’s like to have a Huntington’s disease diagnosis, Harry, who supports people with eating disorders and Richard, who helps people deal with anxiety about falling, are other AI companions in development by the UNSW team.
Key facts:
The AI companions will be on show at the Tea & Technology Café at UNSW’s Kensington Campus in Sydney on Friday Dec 6. This free event is for anyone, the curious, the non-technical and technical alike. Register here.
Professor Jill Bennett: "You can’t replace a loved one with technology. You can’t replace a loved one, full stop. But we think there is something we can do to fashion technology so that it provides support, stimulation, entertainment and helps you find pathways to connect.”
