Charles Sturt public lecture to unpack the ethical risks of ‘illusionary friendship’ with AI

Peopleare increasingly forming emotional attachments to generative artificial intelligence systems, a trend that raises new ethical and psychological risks, according to a Charles Sturt University researcher.

Charles Sturt hosted a free lecture examining why people increasingly experience generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) systems as companion-like.

Professor Zahid Islam, Centre Director of the AI and Cyber Futures Centre and Associate Dean (Research) in the Faculty of Business, Justice and Behavioural Sciences, hosted a lecture which forms part of the University's Provocationsserieswhich invites the public to engage with emerging societal challenges.

Professor Islam said the rapid uptake of GenAI tools for writing, tutoring and decision support has created new forms of emotional entanglement between humans and machines.

"Many Australians are using GenAI every day, and it's understandable that some people begin to interpret sustained, supportive interaction as something friend-like," Professor Islam said.

"This illusion of friendship can become ethically risky when it delays help-seeking, encourages dependency or influences judgement in high-stakes situations."

Drawing on classical philosophical accounts of friendship, Professor Islam will explain why humans are predisposed to attribute empathy and intention to systems that produce fluent, emotionally resonant language.

"GenAI can sound caring, but it does not possess consciousness, intention or moral agency," he said.

"Understanding this distinction is essential if we want to use these technologies safely and responsibly, includingin regional Australia where digital tools increasingly support education, health and industry."

The lecture will also offer a clear, accessible explanation of how transformer-based AI systems actually work, helping audiences recognise the computational processes behind seemingly human-like responses.

"My goal is to demystify the technology so people can appreciate its benefits without over-attributing emotional depth or reliability," Professor Islam said.

"With the right safeguards, Australia can embrace GenAI while preserving human responsibility and judgement."

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