AI companion apps like Replika, Character.AI, and Kuki allow users to create “artificial others” that provide not only conversation but also emotional support, offering judgment-free interactions that address users’ emotional needs. The increasing trend of humans forming deeply affective relationships with these digital companions raises several ethical issues that have remained relatively underexplored in the existing literature. This project seeks to fill this gap by exploring the ethical landscape of AI companionship across four major themes:

• The Nature of AI-Human Companionships
• The Moral Status of Artificial Others
• The Ethical Responsibilities of AI Companion App Developers
• The Implications for (Real-World) Relationships