30% of the population will use AI for companionship by 2040

30% of the population will use AI for companionship by 2040.

Read that statistic again. That's what experts predict in the Stanford 2026 AI Index.

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀:
▪️ 10% by 2027 (hello, that's next year)
▪️ 15% by 2030 (that's right around the corner)
▪️ 30% by 2040 (sooner than you think)

The general public predicts lower numbers than experts. But the report goes on to say, "Both experts and the public find it less likely that mental health therapists will be replaced by AI, suggesting that there is an understanding on the limitations of AI companions. They cannot fully replace human expertise in complex or therapeutic contexts."

30% by 2040 is staggering...and indeed a marker of the shifting relational bedrock of society.