We are delighted to welcome Brooke Schlesinger, YouGov (Australia) to talk through their work which explores AI companionship.

AI chatbots have moved further into everyday life, as tools for productivity and information, and as social and emotional actors embedded within people’s routines. As these technologies become more culturally present, YouGov wanted to better understand how Australians are negotiating this shift.

The first wave of research was conducted in 2025, and the second in early 2026. The 2026 wave explored more deeply the differing social roles AI chatbots are beginning to play: from companionship and emotional support to entertainment, intimacy, and everyday conversation.

This research also examines the self-reported impacts of these interactions beyond the screen itself: how engagement with AI may be influencing loneliness, social connection, behaviour, relationships, and broader perceptions of human interaction in contemporary Australian life.

Whilst the two waves of research focused on Australia, Brooke will also share some global findings on the subject at the end the talk.

We will then conclude with a q&a and discussion.

Brooke Schlesinger

Brooke is an Associate Director at YouGov in Sydney, specialising in qualitative and quantitative mixed-methods research. With over a decade of experience, she has conceived of and led major studies on everything from AI human relationships to value systems within countries. She is dedicated to exploring and pinpointing the cultural and societal trends that will define our collective future. Her background includes roles at TED Talks and the Ad Council in New York, where she worked at the nexus of research, media/communications, and cultural insights. This experience, combined with her academic training in history, equips her with a unique ability to blend rigorous data analysis with compelling storytelling.

Link to the first wave findings here

Register for this webinar here