At first, people turned to AI chatbots for convenience. Need a polished email? Nearly two-thirds of survey respondents (64%) have asked a chatbot to draft one. Struggling with a text? Almost half (49%) leaned on AI.
From resumes to social media captions (43%), the majority of people have already tried letting a chatbot do the writing.
But what started as a simple writing assistant has quietly evolved into something much deeper.
According to our survey, 40% use AI chatbots several times a day, and another 32% use them daily. That kind of frequency points to more than just occasional help. It signals habit, even reliance.
And it turns out those frequent conversations are not just about grammar or tone. They’re about life.
When facing a personal problem, 59% said they’re likely to seek advice from an AI chatbot, slightly more than friends or family (57%).
Even professionals like doctors or therapists ranked much lower (30%).
Many respondents (86%) also admitted they would share personal or private information with an AI chatbot instead of friends or family. About one in three (32%) said they’re very likely to do so.
One key reason: people don’t want to burden those closest to them.
In fact, 51% agreed they turn to chatbots to vent instead of leaning on friends or family. Nearly half (49%) even described feeling a sense of connection to the chatbot itself.
The advice people receive plays a role too.
More than half (54%) agreed that the guidance from an AI chatbot is more practical and actionable than what they hear from loved ones. Instead of vague encouragement, the bots often deliver clear steps forward, something many people are craving.
At the same time, this growing reliance raises important questions. Unlike friends or family, chatbots don’t bring empathy, lived experience, or an understanding of nuance.
Their advice may feel concrete, but it can also be impersonal, one-size-fits-all, or even misguided depending on the prompt. The very qualities that make AI seem efficient can become limitations when people are facing complex emotional situations.
Put simply: what started as a tool to help us write has become a source of support for how we live. AI isn’t just shaping our emails and texts anymore. It’s shaping our conversations, our coping strategies, and in some cases, our closest connections.
The findings in this blog are based on a short online survey conducted by Drive Research in 2025. The survey was fielded to 128 respondents across the United States through targeted Facebook ads.
While the sample size was relatively small and the survey was designed as a quick pulse check rather than a full-scale market research study, the results provide an interesting snapshot of how people are incorporating AI chatbots into their daily lives.
Drive Research is a global market research company specializing in custom surveys, focus groups, and data-driven insights. Our team helps organizations better understand their audiences, test new ideas, and make confident, informed decisions. From quick-turn pulse surveys to full-scale research projects, we design studies that deliver clarity and action.
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