Cuddly, Not Creepy: Petmorphic AI Companions Deepen Emotional Connection and Enhance User Engagement
(A2026-131926)

AUTHORS

Mohammadhesam HAJIGHASEMI, ESSEC Business School; Amir Sepehri, ESSEC Business School; Christian Hildebrand, University of St. Gallen; Cait Lamberton, University of Pennsylvania, Wharton Business School

ABSTRACT

For many people, having a pet is not always possible due to housing restrictions, financial constraints, or the continuous care pets require. However, today’s “new friend”—Generative AI—offers an emerging avenue for emotional support, potentially recreating the comfort and companionship traditionally provided by pets. Growing research suggests that AI companions can substitute for human interaction in fostering emotional connection. We extend this literature by proposing petmorphism—the design of AI companions with pet-like features such as animal avatars, affectionate naming, and playful language—as a novel pathway to deepen emotional bonds. Across three preregistered experiments, including one real interaction study with a petmorphized chatbot, participants reported higher ratings, stronger emotional connection, and greater engagement with petmorphized chatbots. Emotional connection fully mediated these effects, which generalized to cat-like AI companions, especially among self-identified cat owners. Petmorphic design activates schemas of warmth, loyalty, and nonjudgmental affection, reducing resistance to AI companionship.