Digital Care and the Shift of Responsibility in AI Intimacy:Evidence from Character.AI and Love and DeepSpace

Abstract

This study explores how digital care, particularly through chatbots and dating <br/>simulation games, reshapes the experience and responsibility of emotional support. <br/>Drawing on qualitative analysis of user comments from platforms such as Character.AI and Xiaohongshu, alongside existing literature, the research examines how individuals engage with digital intimacy in everyday life. The findings suggest that while digital care provides accessible and personalised emotional support, it also shifts responsibility for wellbeing from social institutions to individuals. Users actively manage their emotional experiences, investing time and affective labour, which may lead to stress or dependence. By linking these observations to theories of platform capitalism and social reproduction, the study argues that digital care reflects a broader shift towards individualised responsibility. This raises important ethical and policy questions about the role of technology in care provision and the need to maintain collective support structures.