Generative AI evolves from automation tool to emotional assistant

The generative AI revolution launched by ChatGPT two years ago has evolved in unexpected ways, with users increasingly turning to AI for emotional support rather than simply automated work tasks. A Harvard Business Review survey reveals that therapy, companionship, and personal organization now top the list of AI applications, suggesting that the technology’s 24/7 availability and ability to provide honest feedback fulfill deeper human needs beyond just performing technical functions.

The big picture: Despite AI’s capacity to automate creative and technical work, humans are primarily using it as a supportive assistant rather than as a replacement for human labor.

• Therapy and companionship emerged as the most popular AI use cases in 2025, followed by “organizing my life,” “finding purpose,” and “enhancing learning.”
• Technical applications like “creating code” ranked fifth, while marketing tasks such as blog writing and social media content creation appeared much lower on the popularity list.

Why this matters: The current usage patterns indicate a fundamental shift in how we perceive AI’s role in our lives and workplaces.

• Marc Zao-Sanders, author of the report, notes that AI applications are moving “from technical to emotional applications,” with significant growth in therapy, personal productivity, and development areas.
• This trend suggests users value AI’s ability to support human capabilities rather than replace them entirely.

Implications: The evolution of AI as a collaborative assistant rather than a replacement for human workers could lead to more productive and healthier work environments.

• Organizations that embrace AI as a supportive tool may create less stressed, more productive workforces compared to those attempting to replace human workers.
• Understanding current AI usage patterns is crucial for guiding the technology’s future development in ways that enhance rather than diminish human capabilities.

Reading between the lines: The preference for AI as a supportive tool rather than a replacement may reflect ongoing concerns about AI-generated content quality or inherent human biases against consuming “robotic” material.

• Users appear to value AI more for idea generation and brainstorming assistance than for autonomous content creation.
• This suggests that the most successful AI implementations will be those that augment human creativity and productivity rather than attempt to replace them.