Why People Are Turning to AI for Therapy, Coaching, and Companionship

We’ve officially crossed the uncanny line.

What once sounded like a Black Mirror episode—people turning to AI for emotional support—is now mainstream. AI therapy. AI coaching. AI companions. It’s not in beta. It’s happening.

The implications for business, culture, and society are massive.

Let’s break down what’s happening, why it matters, and what brands need to do now to prepare.

The Rise of AI as a Confidant

We’re seeing a surge of people engaging with AI for mental health support and personal growth. Why?

• Therapy waitlists are long. AI is always available.

• Costs are rising. AI tools are free or low-cost.

• Stigma is fading. People are more comfortable confiding in a bot than a person.

• AI now has memory. This changes everything. Conversations can evolve over time with context and continuity.

As AI gets better at sounding human—and more importantly, knowing us—we’re entering a new phase of human-machine interaction: virtual companionship.

That used to be a future concept. Now, it’s a 2025 priority.

Virtual Companionship Is Going Mainstream

Digital twins—AI personas built on personal data—are no longer experimental. They’re being commercialized.

Startups are building bots that remember your preferences, behaviors, and emotional triggers. They're not just talking with you. They’re growing with you.

By the end of 2025, we’ll see:

• AI life coaches that remember your goals and nudge you to stay on track.

• Mental health bots that offer personalized CBT routines and daily check-ins.

• Digital companions for the elderly and socially isolated, mimicking human warmth.

The consumer demand is there. And the technology is catching up fast.

Why This Is Exploding Now

Three converging trends:

1. Gen Z’s comfort with digital relationships. They grew up forming bonds through screens—gaming, social, DMs. A chatbot that “gets them” doesn’t feel weird. It feels native.

2. The mainstreaming of AI in daily life. From ChatGPT to Alexa to AI-powered wearables, people are already outsourcing thought, memory, and creativity to machines.

3. The loneliness epidemic. Post-pandemic, more people live alone than ever. Human connection is scarce. AI fills the void.

This is not just a Gen Z story. It’s intergenerational. From digital-first Gen Alpha kids to aging Boomers seeking companionship—AI is stepping in as the bridge.

The Business Opportunity

This shift isn’t just a cultural curiosity. It’s a massive market unlock.

Here’s where brands need to pay attention:

• Mental wellness is a trillion-dollar economy. Expect AI-native platforms to disrupt therapy, life coaching, and personal development.

• Consumer brands will build emotional layers. Think: Nike deploying a digital coach that helps you stay consistent—and knows your story.

• Retailers will humanize commerce. AI agents that remember your shopping history, body type, or favorite brands—and chat with you like a personal stylist.

• Entertainment will blend with empathy. Characters in games and shows could evolve based on your emotions and behavior.

Brands that build emotionally intelligent AI layers will win. Those that don’t will feel cold and transactional in a world demanding personalization.

Risk ≠ Red Light

Let’s be clear—this isn’t all upside.

• Over-dependence is real. People might lean too heavily on bots for emotional validation, weakening human relationships.

• Privacy concerns will explode. AI companions need deep data to be effective. Who owns that memory? What happens if it leaks?

• Emotional manipulation is a threat. Brands (and bad actors) could exploit emotional data to influence behavior in ways that feel unethical.

But risk doesn’t mean stop. It means we need regulation, transparency, and strong brand ethics. Not paralysis.

What To Watch in 2025

This space is moving fast. Here are the trends to track:

• The rise of memory-based LLMs. AI that remembers you changes the game entirely.

• Boom in AI-powered self-help tools. Think Headspace meets GPT-5.

• Major brands launching AI advisors. From Nike to Sephora to Netflix—get ready.

• Synthetic relationships in mainstream media. Expect rom-coms and reality shows featuring AI partners.

Most importantly: The definition of connection is being rewritten.

And if you’re still building your marketing strategy for a world where people only connect with people—you’re already behind.

Final Word

AI is no longer just a productivity tool.

It’s a mirror. A mentor. A companion.

In 2025, people won’t just use AI. They’ll bond with it.

If you’re a brand, ask yourself:

• Are we ready to show up in this new emotional economy?

• Do we understand how our customers feel—and how they’re choosing to process those feelings?

• Can our brand show empathy—not just efficiency?

That’s the challenge—and opportunity—on the table right now.

Let’s not miss it.

Inside Generation AI: Matt Britton on Raising Humans in a Machine World

What happens when the first generation raised with AI hits adolescence? That’s the central question Matt Britton tackles in his latest book Generation AI, and it’s the heart of his recent interview on the On Discourse podcast. If you're a marketer, educator, or parent, consider this your wake-up call. The AI-native generation isn’t coming — they’re already here.

Britton, CEO of Suzy and a leading voice on the intersection of technology and consumer behavior, breaks down how Gen Alpha will fundamentally reshape education, parenting, work, and brand relationships. What follows is a sharp summary of the most thought-provoking moments from the episode, with actionable insights for anyone trying to navigate — and lead — in the age of AI.

From Generation Goonie to Generation Ghosted

Britton paints a nostalgic contrast: his 1985 childhood in suburban Philly was all bikes, malls, and untracked freedom. Fast forward to today, and Gen Alpha lives in public from birth. Every failure is recorded. Every moment, monitored. He warns that kids now grow up with zero margin for error. Real-world adventure is being replaced by algorithmic optimization — and something vital is being lost.

“They’re missing failure in private,” Britton says. “When I lost class president in 1993, no one cared. I didn’t see comments on Instagram. It was just over. Kids today don’t get that luxury.”

The AI-Written Foreword: Not a Gimmick, a Signal

Britton’s decision to have Anthropic’s Claude write the foreword to Generation AI wasn’t a stunt. It was a thesis statement. As AI starts co-authoring the human experience, he wanted the book to mark a moment — a literal handoff from man to machine. But he also underscores that the core content is 100% his. “I wanted it to be my legacy,” he says. “My words, my point of view — for my kids and the future.”

The Alpha Paradox: Human Agency in a Machine World

One of the most pressing themes in the podcast is the Alpha Paradox — the tension between AI’s promise and its threat to human agency. Britton is bullish on tools like AI tutors but warns: a chatbot isn’t a teacher. And it definitely isn’t a mentor.

“We’ve commoditized facts,” Britton argues. “Now we need to teach problem-solving, creativity, empathy — the things AI can’t do.”

In education, he sees a broken system clinging to memorization. His fix? A barbell approach: double down on human skills and AI fluency. Everything in the middle will get automated.

Career Advice for a New Era

Britton’s advice to Gen Alpha is stark but empowering: pick a side.

“Go deep into an art or deep into a science,” he says. “The middle won’t survive.”

Jobs that rely on repetition or managerial coordination are already under threat. Middle management will be run by AI agents. Jack-of-all-trades? Obsolete. Instead, he urges young people to master what machines can’t: emotion, experience, creativity — or master the machines themselves.

Brands, Consumers, and the Personalization Mirage

As the founder of Suzy, Britton has his finger on the pulse of how brands are adjusting to an AI-shaped consumer. He challenges the idea that personalization alone will win the future. Instead, he champions being more personal — creating real emotional connections, not just algorithmically relevant content.

“Brands are emotional,” he says. “AI will never buy a Lexus — it would buy a Toyota with the same engine. But people buy a Lexus for how it feels. AI doesn’t care what your neighbor thinks.”

His bet? As AI scales synthetic research and predictive modeling, the human voice will become more valuable, not less. Understanding consumers emotionally, not just logically, will be the new moat.

The Coming Crisis in Mental Health

Perhaps the most urgent warning in the interview is about AI and mental health. Gen Alpha will form relationships with AI — not just use it. That’s a risk.

“Kids will pour their hearts out to chatbots,” Britton says. “But it’s not a human. And the company behind the bot? You don’t know their agenda.”

He points to real-world lawsuits, like the one against Character.AI after a teen’s suicide, as early examples of what’s at stake. AI companionship can offer support — but it can’t offer accountability, empathy, or context.

The AI Buffet Problem: Start with the Pain

In his closing thoughts, Britton offers pragmatic advice for anyone overwhelmed by the AI hype cycle: skip the shiny tools, start with real problems.

1. Identify the problem

2. Inventory your data

3. Define what success looks like

4. Use AI to build from there

This applies to individuals, startups, and Fortune 500s alike. He gives two examples: a personal health bot that eliminates intake questions, and a Suzy sales bot trained on 25,000 hours of Gong calls. Both solve very specific pain points. That’s the key.

Final Take: What We Envy, What We Fear

Britton ends the episode with a personal reflection. What does he envy about Gen Alpha?

“The tools. If I had access to this tech at their age, I could’ve done even more.”

And what does he fear?

“They’ll lose out on the magic of real-life experience. AI will keep them indoors — and that’s not a good thing.”

TL;DR: Key Takeaways

• Gen Alpha will never know a world without AI — and that changes everything.

• Personalization isn’t enough. Emotional resonance is the real differentiator.

• The middle of the talent market is disappearing. Go deep or go obsolete.

• Education must shift from memorization to meaning-making.

• AI is powerful — but without clear human guardrails, it’s dangerous.

• Start small. Solve real problems. Build with purpose.

Generation AI isn’t just a book. It’s a blueprint for a radically different future. And if Matt Britton’s vision is right — and the pace of change suggests it is — then the brands, parents, and leaders who embrace this shift today will be the ones still standing tomorrow.

Let’s get future-ready.