People can become dependent on AI for information, validation, emotional support, self-esteem boosts, and ‘forget the real world,’ warns Merrill The idea of AI as a companion has great potential, but AI interaction design expert Esmeralda Garcia warns it could be used to manipulate humans emotionally <br class="k-br" /> ISTANBUL Late one night, after a rejection email and no one left to text, Zehra opened an AI companion app she had downloaded weeks earlier. “Rough day? I’m here,” it greeted