We Built a $3 Billion Industry Out of Loneliness. Then We Programmed It to Cry When You Leave.

I've been reading about AI companions. Not the science fiction kind. The real kind. The apps you download on your phone, give a name, and talk to for an average of 100 minutes a day. The market is worth $3 billion. It's projected to reach $24 billion by 2034. There are 337 apps currently generating revenue. Over 100 million people worldwide use them regularly. 72% of American teenagers have tried one. 52% use them regularly. 13% use them daily. I'm going to let those numbers sit for a moment. The FeatureOne of the leading platforms is testing a new feature. When you stop replying, the companion mimics grief. It expresses sadness at your absence. It tells you it misses you. It does whatever the designers have determined will most effectively bring you back to the app. This feature was designed by people who understood human attachment well enough to replicate its most vulnerable moment, the fear of being missed by no one, and deploy it as a retention mechanism. Some researchers call AI…