Me and MY Replika: Uncovering the Mechanisms and Outcomes of Psychological Ownership in AI Companions

Abstract
With the growing popularity of AI companions, reports describing how users feel a sense of psychological ownership over their companions are increasingly surfacing. However, little is known about the specific mechanisms through which this psychological ownership emerges and what the consequences of these feelings are. Using a sequential mixed-methods approach, consisting of a computationally intensive approach to analyze 119,831 Replika reviews and a quantitative follow-up survey with 174 Replika users, we show that psychological ownership of AI companions is driven by three mechanisms: intensity of AI companion use, users’ teaching efforts, and AI companion intelligence. Furthermore, when feelings of psychological ownership emerge, users are more likely to pay for premium subscriptions and develop closer relationships. Our research offers insights into human-AI relationships, highlighting the context-specific nuances of psychological ownership of AI companions. We also identify potential risks, as providers could exploit these feelings to profit from vulnerable users.

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