I’ve spent 25 years studying loneliness. AI is about to make it much worse0

• Business, Commentary, Finance
• May 23, 2026

Artificial intelligence has the potential to improve our lives in powerful ways. But after two and a half decades researching why human connection gives life meaning, I’m worried about where we’re headed. Americans are spending more time alone, marrying less, and making fewer friends than in previous decades. And it isn’t going well: A 2025 American