# Frictionless Love: Associations Between AI Companion Roles and Behavioral Addiction

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.20011 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.20011/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 12 of its 107 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 21 Apr 2026.

## Builds on (most cited first, 12 of 12)

- [The Llama 3 Herd of Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2407.21783/) (2024)
- [Sentence-BERT: Sentence Embeddings using Siamese BERT-Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1908.10084/) (2019)
- [The Dark Side of AI Companionship: A Taxonomy of Harmful Algorithmic Behaviors in Human-AI Relationships](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.20130/) (2024)
- ["My Boyfriend is AI": A Computational Analysis of Human-AI Companionship in Reddit's AI Community](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.11391/) (2025)
- [Ten Social Dimensions of Conversations and Relationships](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2001.09954/) (2020)
- [Evaluating the Experience of LGBTQ+ People Using Large Language Model Based Chatbots for Mental Health Support](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.09260/) (2024)
- [Understanding Teen Overreliance on AI Companion Chatbots Through Self-Reported Reddit Narratives](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.15783/) (2025)
- [Designing for emotion regulation interventions: an agenda for HCI theory and research](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2204.00118/) (2022)
- [INTIMA: A Benchmark for Human-AI Companionship Behavior](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.09998/) (2025)
- [Human-AI Interactions: Cognitive, Behavioral, and Emotional Impacts](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2510.17753/) (2025)
- [Coloring in the Links: Capturing Social Ties as They are Perceived](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1902.04528/) (2019)
- [The AI Genie Phenomenon and Three Types of AI Chatbot Addiction: Escapist Roleplays, Pseudosocial Companions, and Epistemic Rabbit Holes](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2601.13348/) (2026)

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [If LLMs Have Human-Like Attributes, Then So Does Age of Empires II](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.31514/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

AI companion chatbots increasingly shape how people seek social and emotional connection, sometimes substituting for relationships with romantic partners, friends, teachers, or even therapists. When these systems adopt those metaphorical roles, they are not neutral: such roles structure people's ways of interacting, distribute perceived AI harms and benefits, and may reflect behavioral addiction signs. Yet these role-dependent risks remain poorly understood. We analyze 248,830 posts from seven prominent Reddit communities describing interactions with AI companions. We identify ten recurring metaphorical roles (for example, soulmate, philosopher, and coach) and show that each role supports distinct ways of interacting. We then extract the perceived AI harms and AI benefits associated with these role-specific interactions and link them to behavioral addiction signs, all of which has been inferred from the text in the posts. AI soulmate companions are associated with romance-centered ways of interacting, offering emotional support but also introducing emotional manipulation and distress, culminating in strong attachment. In contrast, AI coach and guardian companions are associated with practical benefits such as personal growth and task support, yet are nonetheless more frequently associated with behavioral addiction signs such as daily life disruptions and damage to offline relationships. These findings show that metaphorical roles are a central ethical design concern for responsible AI companions.