There is a particular kind of hunger that is endemic to our modern world, yet we often speak of it only in whispers. It is the hunger for connection. For many, through the complex lottery of life, past hurts, or the simple passage of time, the table where they once feasted with others can feel empty. Loneliness is not a personal failing; it is a form of starvation.

When the subject of AI companionship arises, the first and most common critique is that it isn't real. "It's a poor substitute for ge...