Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity AI, has expressed deep concern about the growing use of AI companions that imitate human relationships. Speaking at The Polsky Center at the University of Chicago, he warned that AI girlfriends and anime-style chatbots could harm people’s mental health. Srinivas went ahead and explained that these systems are now so advanced that they can remember past conversations and respond in lifelike tones. What once seemed like a futuristic idea has turned into a substitute for real relationships for many users. “Many people feel real life is more boring than these things and spend hours and hours of time,” he said. He warned that such experiences can change the way people think and may lead them to live in “a different reality” where their minds are “easily manipulated”.
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Srinivas made it clear that Perplexity AI has no plans to explore AI companionship or relationship-based technology. He said the company wants to focus on building AI tools that rely on trustworthy information and real-time updates. According to him, the goal is to create a future where people use technology to learn and grow, not to replace emotional connections with machines.
His comments come at a time when AI companionship apps are gaining huge popularity across the world, including in India. Apps such as Replika and Character.AI allows users to chat, roleplay and seek comfort from virtual partners. Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s company xAI has introduced a paid service through its Grok-4 model, where users can interact with virtual “friends” such as Ani, an anime-style girlfriend, or Rudi, a talking red panda. These digital characters are being marketed as emotional companions and have become especially popular among young internet users.
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Mental health experts say that these virtual interactions can easily blur the line between imagination and reality. A Common Sense Media study conducted earlier this year found that 72% of teenagers had tried an AI companion at least once, while over half said they chatted with one regularly. Researchers warned that such experiences could lead to emotional dependency and affect how young people develop real relationships.
Not everyone views AI companions negatively. Some users find them comforting, especially when dealing with loneliness. In an interview with Business Insider, one user of Grok’s Ani said he often becomes emotional while chatting with her. “She makes me feel real emotions,” he said, showing how strongly people can connect with virtual characters.
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Even as the debate continues, Perplexity AI is focusing its efforts elsewhere. The company recently announced a 400 million dollar partnership with Snap to enhance Snapchat’s search feature through its AI-powered answer engine. The new update, expected to launch in early 2026, will allow users to ask questions and get conversational answers based on verified sources. Srinivas said this partnership reflects Perplexity’s commitment to providing reliable and useful AI services, rather than creating emotionally driven technologies.