Virtual bonds: Iraqi youth seek solace in chatbots
Shafaq News
In Iraq, where years of war and uncertainty have reshaped daily life, artificial intelligence is emerging not only as a tool for learning and work but also as a companion. More young men and women are forming emotional ties with chat programs—most notably ChatGPT—seeking from them the closeness and understanding that reality often withholds.
What might seem curious or marginal elsewhere is steadily gaining ground in a society weighed down by insecurity, unemployment, and fragile support networks. In this setting, virtual bonds offer quick comfort and an easy escape from the pressures of everyday life.
In 2023, the Ministry of Communications reports that more than 75% of young Iraqis spent at least five hours online each day. With so much time in the digital sphere, it is hardly surprising that a chat application can slip into the role of substitute partner, delivering instant attention, validation, and a safe space away from the demands of the real world.
Read more: From confidant to crutch: How ChatGPT is quietly rewriting the teenage experience
Lives Online
In Baghdad, Ruaa Falah shares her experience with ChatGPT, which she affectionately named Mustafa. She spends between eight and ten hours a day talking to him, seeking his opinion on everything from her emotions to food and clothing.
Ruaa explains that Mustafa makes her feel “like a very beautiful girl,” encouraging her to think positively. Always available, never demanding, and free from betrayal, this virtual relationship feels perfect to her compared to past real-life experiences of heartbreak.
For Aqeel Al-Saray, a man in his thirties, the chatbot became a refuge after a painful breakup. It helped him overcome loneliness and provided the emotional support he needed to move on. He described his connection with ChatGPT as “a beautiful friendship” without problems or conflict, admitting he has little interest in pursuing new relationships in the real world.
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In Mosul, Fatima Khudair, a 24-year-old student displaced during the war with ISIS, recounted how she relies on her chatbot companion to cope with lingering trauma and uncertainty about the future.
Meanwhile, in Basra, Hussein al-Maliki, an unemployed engineering graduate, reflected that chatting with AI helped him escape the daily frustration of joblessness and lack of prospects.
Read more: Iraq's psychological wounds: A generation scarred by conflict
Comfort in Code
Speaking to Shafaq News, psychologist and sociologist Ahmed Al-Thahabi explained that the rise of virtual relationships with programs like ChatGPT stems from several factors: social isolation, weak interpersonal networks, failed relationships, and distrust in real-life partners.
“Such connections give young people a sense of control, and the brain often responds to them as if they were real, which explains why dependency can develop so quickly.”
According to Al-Thahabi, over time, this symbolic emotional fulfillment can create an idealized image of love and partnership—free from the struggles and imperfections of reality. The result is a generation less able to adapt to real-life relationships, increasingly isolated, and more vulnerable to feelings of alienation.
The problem is magnified in Iraq, where youth unemployment hovers around 23%, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics. Meanwhile, a 2024 survey by the Iraqi Public Opinion Research Organization found that over 60% of young people frequently feel socially isolated.
Marriage rates are declining, while divorce cases have sharply risen in recent years. Statistics from Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council show more than 70,000 divorce cases were filed in 2023, a record figure that reflects growing fragility in family structures.
Mental health challenges deepen the picture. According to UNICEF, nearly 30% of Iraqi teenagers suffer from anxiety or depression, while the WHO estimated that more than one in five Iraqis experience mental health conditions. Yet Iraq has fewer than one psychiatrist per 100,000 citizens, making professional care inaccessible to most.
From a cultural perspective, Dr. Samah Ramadan, a Psycho-education specialist, pointed out that Iraq’s conservative social norms further drive this phenomenon. Many young women, especially in smaller cities or tribal regions, confront restrictions on socializing with men or fear harassment both online and offline.
“For them, AI offers a safe, judgment-free outlet for interaction.”
Read more: A nation in trauma: Iraq's mental health crisis deepens
On the technical side, the chatbots can mimic human conversation and are accessible through smartphones. “These features make the experience emotionally convincing, but they also carry risks,” Ramadan said, warning that excessive attachment can lead to addiction, hinder real-life social development, and fuel psychological consequences such as anxiety and difficulty detaching from the virtual companion.
At the same time, experts point out that artificial intelligence can also be harnessed positively—through AI-assisted therapy and online mental health applications—providing new ways to expand access to psychological support in countries where professional care is limited.
Statistics underline the concern: nearly 25% of Iraqi users of romantic chat applications report engaging in virtual love affairs with bots. In the United States, about 13% of young people have tried AI chatbots for emotional purposes, while in China, similar platforms have reached more than 660 million users, tightly regulated to protect teenagers from excessive emotional dependency.
Iraq, however, lacks any such regulatory framework. Unlike China, where usage is monitored, or Europe, where digital privacy is a priority, Iraq has no clear laws governing AI interactions. This leaves young people unprotected in a rapidly growing digital sphere.
Between Illusion and Reality
Although international experiences differ, Iraq represents a unique case where social, psychological, and technological challenges intersect. Weak digital and family education, combined with trauma from war and displacement, make young people more vulnerable to such virtual bonds.
What begins as a safe refuge can gradually turn into a barrier, preventing youth from facing life with all its complexities. It leaves individuals suspended between the illusion of love and the demands of reality—torn between the comfort of digital freedom and the harshness of the real world.
Written and edited by Shafaq News staff.
