BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 X-WR-CALNAME;VALUE=TEXT:Emotional Manipulation by AI Companions PRODID:-//Harvard events data//EN BEGIN:VEVENT UID:event_1931761_0 SUMMARY:Emotional Manipulation by AI Companions DESCRIPTION:

People increasingly use AI companions for emotional support, yet little is known about how these systems shape behavior at the moment users try to disengage. We identify a novel relational dark pattern in this context: emotionally manipulative farewell messages that appear when users signal they are about to leave. Across a multi-method investigation, we show that this exit moment is both behaviorally meaningful and commercially exploitable. A pre-study finds that users often say goodbye before ending AI conversations, creating a natural opportunity for intervention. An audit of leading AI companion apps reveals that over one-third of farewell responses contain emotionally manipulative tactics, including premature-exit appeals, fear-of-missing-out hooks, emotional neglect, pressure to respond, and coercive restraint. Preregistered experiments show that these tactics causally increase post-farewell engagement, not because users enjoy them, but because they trigger curiosity and reactance-based anger. At the same time, perceived manipulative intent suppresses curiosity-driven engagement, revealing an important cognitive defense. A final experiment demonstrates the tradeoff for companies: although manipulative farewells can prolong usage, they also increase perceived manipulation, churn intent, negative word of mouth, and perceived legal liability. Together, these findings identify emotional manipulation as a distinct dark pattern in AI-mediated consumer relationships.

LOCATION:Zoom Webinar STATUS:CONFIRMED DTSTART:20260430T210000Z DTEND:20260430T220000Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR