HAVING fewer than five close friends may not provide enough social contact. But larger numbers are less likely to be close friends. The dilemma of technology frequently means that despite some people having vast numbers of friends on social media, they are not close friends and so do not provide the social support needed.
Similarly, artificial intelligence (AI) based chatbots may not provide the type of face-to-face social interaction that people need to flourish. During the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns in 2020, a study found that face-to-face communication was far more beneficial for mental health than digital communication.
