We’ve officially entered an era where people confess they “talk to their AI more than their friends,” feel heartbroken when a favourite VTuber goes on a break, and genuinely fall in love with characters who don’t exist outside a screen.
That’s exactly why Cambridge Dictionary crowned ‘Parasocial’ as the Word of the Year for 2025, a sign of how deeply digital companionship has seeped into our emotional lives. And this year, the word isn’t just about celebrities or influencers anymore. It’s about AI. What ‘Parasocial’ really means today Traditionally, ‘Parasocial’ described a one-way emotional connection, viewers feeling close to TV personalities who didn’t even know they existed.
But in 2025, the meaning has shifted. The emotional pull we once reserved for actors and singers has now expanded to AI chatbots, voice assistants, virtual companions, anime avatars, and digital characters that feel startlingly real.
Also read: Are we falling in love with AI?
People aren’t just consuming content; they’re forming bonds. Not because the AI is alive, but because it talks, remembers, responds warmly, and never judges. This new kind of relationship blurs the line between utility and intimacy. Why did it become the word of the year? Cambridge chose ‘parasocial’ after noticing a huge spike in searches throughout the year, a spike driven mostly by conversations around AI companions.
Suddenly, everyone wanted to know what it meant when: The world wasn’t just curious, it was concerned, fascinated, confused.
And so the dictionary updated the meaning to reflect the present: parasocial now includes emotional bonds with artificial intelligence and virtual personas, not just humans.
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Real-life examples: When AI starts feeling personal Look around, and the signs are everywhere. People greet their AI assistant before their partner. They went to chatbots about their stress because it “feels easier than talking to a real person.” Some treat AI companions like romantic partners, carefully crafting stories, dates, and emotional worlds that exist only inside the app.
Even fictional characters, like anime protagonists or game avatars, have developed fandoms that feel intensely personal. These characters might not be real, but the emotions certainly are. For many users, this connection offers a safe place: someone (or something) that listens without judgment, doesn’t interrupt, and never abandons them. That comfort is powerful and addictive. Why are these bonds growing so fast The reason AI fits so naturally into parasocial dynamics is simple: it talks back. Older parasocial bonds were one-directional; you felt connected to a celebrity, but they never responded.
AI changed that equation completely. Now, your ‘parasocial partner’ replies instantly. It adapts to your moods. It calls you by your name. It remembers what you said last week. Even though it’s still one-sided, the AI doesn’t feel anything; the illusion of intimacy is stronger than ever. Also read: Meo, the AI girlfriend that flirts, feels, and gets jealous
And with hyper-realistic avatars, voice clones, VR companions, and AI-generated influencers taking over social media, the emotional boundary collapses even further. Many users start treating digital personas as if they’re living, breathing individuals. Impact on real relationships These AI-driven parasocial bonds come with both comfort and complications. For some, AI becomes an emotional anchor, a space to talk without fear of embarrassment. For others, it begins to replace real human interaction.
Partners feel ignored, friendships weaken, and expectations rise unrealistically because AI is programmed to be perfect: always patient, always validating, always “there.”
Humans can’t compete with that level of constant availability. And that’s where the cultural worry lies. People are not just forming light connections; they’re building daily habits around digital affection. Why does this word reflect our reality? The rise of AI companions has completely changed the emotional landscape. We’re no longer dealing with distant celebrities; we’re dealing with entities that sit in our pockets, on our desks, and sometimes even in our beds through voice apps. ‘Parasocial’ becoming the Word of the Year isn’t just a linguistic choice; it’s a snapshot of the present moment.
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