*For a different perspective on AI companions, see our Q&A with Jaime Banks: How Do You Define an AI Companion?* Novel technology is often a double-edged sword. New capabilities come with new risks, and artificial intelligence is certainly no exception. AI used for human companionship, for instance, promises an ever-present digital friend in an increasingly lonely world. Chatbots dedicated to providing social support have grown to host millions of users, and they’re now being embodied in physical companions. Researchers are just beginning to understand the nature of these interactions, but one essential question has already emerged: Do AI companions ease our woes or contribute to them? RELATED: How Do You Define an AI Companion? Brad Knox is a research associate professor of computer science at the University of Texas at Austin who researches human-computer interaction and reinforcement learning.…