Call for Participants:

Recruiting Participants for a Research Study of Users’ Relationships with Social AI Chatbots
From air-l, the e-list of the Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR)
http://listserv.aoir.org/pipermail/air-l-aoir.org/2025-September/194951.html

From Peter Royal
September 22, 2025

Dear colleagues,

I’m a PhD candidate in communication at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) working on my dissertation on human-AI communication and relationships, advised by Dr. Steve Jones. I’m seeking to interview current or former users of social AI chatbots. Please see the attached flyer or the description below for key details about the study. I would be very grateful if you would share this with your networks. Please feel free to email me at proyal2@uic.edu  if you have any questions.

Seeking AI Chatbot Users for University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Research Study

Have you used any of the following AI chatbots or platforms (or a similar chatbot/platform)?:

• Replika
• Nomi
• Kindroid
• Anima
• Paradot
• Kuki AI
• Character AI
• Chai AI
• Kajiwoto
• Wysa
• Woebot

Or have you used an AI chatbot like ChatGPT, Claude, Snapchat’s My AI, Meta AI, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, or DeepSeek for things like social interaction, companionship, or emotional support? For example:

• Having in-depth conversations about your life, experiences, thoughts, feelings, or fictional scenarios
• Seeking emotional support, advice, or companionship
• Feeling a sense of connection, attachment, or affection toward the chatbot
• Customizing a chatbot’s personality and/or feeling it’s uniquely tailored to you

If so, you are invited to participate in a research study at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC).

Study Title: Computational Confidants: Meaning-Making and Social Relationships between Users and Social AI Chatbots

Principal Investigator: Steve Jones, PhD, UIC Distinguished Professor

Co-Principal Investigator: Peter Royal, PhD Candidate

Purpose: This study aims to better understand how users perceive their interactions and relationships with social AI chatbots.

Who can participate?

• Adults 18+
• Current or former users of AI companion chatbots (e.g., Replika, Nomi, Kindroid), character creation/roleplaying chatbots (e.g., Character AI, Chai AI), mental health support chatbots (e.g., Wysa, Woebot), or similar AI chatbots
• Individuals who have used AI chatbots like ChatGPT for things like social interaction, companionship, or emotional support
• Available for English-language Zoom interview

What’s involved?

• Brief eligibility questionnaire
• Brief questionnaire about demographics, prior experience with technology, and AI chatbot usage
• 60-minute audio-recorded Zoom interview about your experience of using AI chatbots for things like social interaction, companionship, or emotional support
• Optional follow-up interview
• Confidential and anonymized participation

Why participate?

• Share your unique insights
• Contribute to research on human-AI communication and relationships

Participation is confidential and your responses will be anonymized.

Interested? Please complete this brief eligibility questionnaire:
https://uic.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9zglT3nVY5MsZ2m

Eligible participants will receive further information via email.

Questions? Email proyal2@uic.edu

Please share this with your networks. Thank you!

Peter Royal (he/him)
PhD Candidate
Department of Communication
University of Illinois Chicago
proyal2@uic.edu