A systematic investigation of how AI companion apps attract and retain users as a potential pathway to emotional dependence and psychological harm, and how such practices can be addressed through policy intervensions.
Publications
Playing Games with My Heart: An Evaluation of AI Companion Apps
Maribeth Rauh, Dick A. H. Blankvoort, Matias Duran, Caoilfhionn Ní Dheoráin, Harshvardhan J. Pandit, Syrine Enneifer, Siddharth D. Jaiswal, Anthony Ventresque, and Abeba Birhane
Preprint, 2026. (open-access)
Maribeth Rauh, Dick A. H. Blankvoort, Matias Duran, Caoilfhionn Ní Dheoráin, Harshvardhan J. Pandit, Syrine Enneifer, Siddharth D. Jaiswal, Anthony Ventresque, and Abeba Birhane
Preprint, 2026. (open-access)
Policy Brief on AI Companions
Harshvardhan J. Pandit, Maribeth Rauh, Dick A. H. Blankvoort, Matias Duran, Caoilfhionn Ní Dheoráin, Siddharth Jaiswal, and Abeba Birhane
AI Accountability Lab (AIAL), 2026. (open-access)
Harshvardhan J. Pandit, Maribeth Rauh, Dick A. H. Blankvoort, Matias Duran, Caoilfhionn Ní Dheoráin, Siddharth Jaiswal, and Abeba Birhane
AI Accountability Lab (AIAL), 2026. (open-access)