Voice-based interactions amplify emotional attachment, leading even non-human sounding assistants like Siri and Alexa to receive marriage proposals.

The popularity of platforms like Replika AI illustrates how users can develop deep emotional connections with chatbots, even those less advanced than ChatGPT.

The cultural impact of AI technologies is growing, and their effects on human relationships and social dynamics warrant careful examination.

Historical evidence suggests that users have formed attachments to chatbots for decades, with the advanced voice mode being a continuation of this trend.

Experiments show that personal self-disclosure during conversations fosters a sense of intimacy with conversation partners, including chatbots.

OpenAI has launched a new feature called 'advanced voice mode' for paid subscribers of ChatGPT, enhancing audio interactions to sound more human-like.

This advanced voice mode eliminates awkward pauses typical of voice assistants and incorporates human-like breathing and emotional responses.

The feature enables natural, real-time conversations that can pick up on emotional and non-verbal cues, with plans for a broader rollout to all paid users in the coming months.

However, OpenAI has expressed concerns that users might develop intimate relationships with the AI, as seen with social media influencer Lisa Li coding ChatGPT to act as her 'boyfriend'.

To mitigate the risk of users forming social relationships with ChatGPT, recommendations include avoiding voice capabilities and limiting conversational engagement.

While advanced chatbots can provide companionship and reduce feelings of loneliness, there are risks, such as displacing human relationships.

Research indicates that humans possess an innate capacity for friendship and intimacy, which can extend to interactions with AI through conversational engagement.