Bonding with Bots: AI, Relationships and the Future of Human Connection

​Our Theme: Bonding with Bots: AI, Relationships and the Future of Human Connection

​27% of U.S. adults who use AI systems for social, emotional and personal purposes, and a third consider their AI as a friend. Once people begin using AI personally, many develop relationships that involve trust, emotional connection, and a sense of being understood.

​These tools are arriving at a complicated moment for human connection. Loneliness and social isolation are widespread, and many people, especially young people, report having few or no close friends.

​For most of human history, other people have been central to how we understand ourselves, create meaning, navigate difficulty, and experience belonging. But relationships with other people are also challenging. They require patience, repair, and the willingness to encounter another person who may feel differently than us. AI offers something different: connection that can be frictionless and endlessly accommodating.

​This salon is a space to ask: As AI becomes more present in our emotional lives, what are the implications for how we relate to one another? How can we preserve and strengthen our human connections?

​About Resonance:

​Resonance Salons are intimate, in-person gatherings for thoughtful people across tech, art, care, community, and everyday life who want to make sense of how AI is changing everyday life, together. It's for those who feel the world shifting and want a real space to reflect, connect, and explore what kind of future we actually want to shape. Each salon includes a facilitated, Socratic-style dialogue where everyone is invited to participate, share honestly, ask questions, and think together across different perspectives. Dinner and drinks are provided; let us know about dietary needs when you register.