New data from YouGov suggests loneliness in Australia has declined meaningfully over the past eight months, falling from 39% in September 2025 to 29% in May 2026. While the improvement has been broadly felt across the population, younger Australians still report higher levels of loneliness than older generations.

At the same time, YouGov Australia’s latest study shows Australians are increasingly turning to AI chatbots in more personal and emotionally expressive ways. Although still a minority behaviour overall, a growing number of people are using chatbots as low-friction spaces for expression, comfort, and support. More than one in seven Australians (15%) say they have shared personal thoughts or feelings with a chatbot, while more than one in ten (11%) report disclosing something they had never told anyone else. A similar proportion (12%) say they have used chatbots for emotional support during difficult periods.

This trend is most pronounced among younger Australians, where AI use appears to be becoming integrated into how people process and navigate personal experiences. Nearly one in four Gen Z (24%) and more than one in four millennials (27%) say they have shared personal thoughts or feelings with a chatbot. Around two in five across both generations report using chatbots for emotional support or comfort during difficult times, while roughly one in five say they have shared something with a chatbot that they had not told anyone else.

For some Australians, these interactions appear to provide social benefits. Three in ten say using chatbots has helped them communicate or connect better with other people. However, these behaviours also sit alongside early signs of social substitution. Nearly one in four Gen Z Australians (23%) and more than one in five millennials (22%) say they would sometimes prefer staying home and talking to a chatbot rather than going out with friends.

While explicit emotional attachment to AI remains relatively uncommon, it is no longer negligible. 8% of Australians say they have experienced what they would describe as a “friendship” with a chatbot, while 4% say they have felt they were in a “romantic relationship” with one. A further 8% say they could imagine developing romantic feelings for a chatbot in the future.

Part of the appeal of AI conversations may lie in how these interactions compare with human relationships. Among younger Australians in particular, many perceive chatbots as easier to engage with than other people. Around two in five Gen Z (41%) and millennials (44%) say this is because chatbots do not judge, argue, or place demands on them. Against this backdrop, more than one in five Gen Z and millennial Australians believe relationships with AI can be just as meaningful as human relationships.

At the same time, concern about overreliance on AI relationships is already widespread. Nearly two in three Australians (64%) say they feel uneasy about the idea. While some of this likely reflects broader cultural anxieties surrounding emerging technologies, the concern also appears grounded in lived experience.

Those closest to these behaviours are often the most worried: nearly three in four Gen Z Australians (72%) express concern, as do 76% of Australians who describe themselves as frequently lonely.

Taken together, these findings point to a rapidly evolving relationship between technology and human connection. They highlight the need for ongoing monitoring of these attitudes and behaviours, while pointing to a future that may be less about widespread deep attachment to AI and more about shifting expectations, and values, surrounding human connection.

Methodology

The survey was conducted online between 21–26 May 2026 among a nationally representative sample of 1,013 Australian adults (18+). The figures have been weighted to reflect the Australian adult population. Research was conducted in accordance with ISO 20252, the international quality standard for market, opinion, and social research. YouGov is ISO 20252 accredited, ensuring rigorous standards in research design, data collection, analysis, and reporting.

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