A recent survey of conversational AI users aged 20 to 59 in South Korea found that 57.1% of respondents have confided personal worries or emotions to an AI, according to a South Korean media report. Another 20.8% said they had not done so but would be willing to try in the future, while 22.1% said they had no such experience and no intention of trying. The results indicate that AI is increasingly being viewed by users as a channel for emotional exchange and a place to unburden their worries. The survey was conducted by research and data intelligence firm PMI, with a sample of 1,000 conversational AI users.
By age group, the share of users who have had emotional conversations with AI rose as age fell: 67.6% among respondents in their 20s, 65.6% in their 30s, 50.4% in their 40s, and 44.8% in their 50s. In terms of usage frequency, among users who had used AI at least once a week over the past six months, 62.9% had engaged in emotional conversations, 29.9 percentage points higher than those who used AI less than once a week.
AI becomes an important channel for emotional exchange
Regarding the specific topics discussed, everyday stress was the most common, cited by 56.7%; followed by work- or study-related issues at 49.6%, interpersonal relationships at 46.1%, and worries about career paths and future plans at 32.9%. In a multiple-response tally, 24.0% of respondents also said they had used AI to share concerns they found difficult to discuss with others.
The main reasons users chose AI were not that they had no one to talk to, but rather convenience and a lower psychological burden. 40.3% of respondents said they turned to AI because it is available "any time," while 39.1% said AI allowed them to say things "that are hard to say to other people." Another 37.7% said it helped them organize their thoughts and emotions, and 37.5% said it offered relatively objective opinions. By comparison, only 29.2% said it was because they lacked a suitable confidant.
Although users are turning to AI for emotional exchange, they remain notably wary. 46.5% of respondents worried that AI might provide incorrect advice or information, while 46.2% were concerned about the leakage of personal information and conversation content. Another 37.8% worried about over-relying on AI even when professional help was needed, 37.5% were concerned about developing emotional dependence, and 33.4% felt AI may not fully understand human emotions. Only 5.9% said they had no particular concerns.
The survey also showed that 41.2% of respondents believed people can form friend-like relationships with AI, while 35.5% agreed that AI can become an object of emotional dependence, and 26.3% said such interactions could lead to romantic feelings.