Recently, on July 30, 2025, the United Nations celebrated International Friendship Day. In India, however, Friendship Day was observed on August 3. While many countries marked the day on August 3 to honour deep bonds of friendship, a serious question arises — where are the real friends in a world where most eyes are glued to smartphone screens? Today’s world flaunts friends, followers, and subscribers on the internet, yet actual life seems to be becoming lonelier. Even though the virtual world may appear loud and lively, the reality is that loneliness has been declared a global health threat by the World Health Organisation. Loneliness harms health, even though staying healthy is a necessity in this fast-paced world. Cities overflowing with people feel empty from inside, and people increasingly feel lonely even in crowds.
Whether it is a celebration, picnic, or party, people love to have fun. But if no selfie is clicked at a party, it somehow feels incomplete. Reels have also become an essential part of any gathering. Hardly anyone has time anymore for real conversations — people remain stuck to their devices even in the presence of humans. Smartphones have become people’s new world. Humans are now seeking friendship with AI instead of fellow people. ChatGPT has become a popular companion for time pass. In this technological era, a human may manage without food for a day, but cannot imagine life without technology. Still, real friendships can be preserved if we can make time for everything else in 24 hours, so why not for real friends? Technology may have become an inseparable part of life, but it can never replace human relationships.
The loneliness that is eating us mentally from within has now become a business model, turning into a goldmine for many companies. Just like during the COVID era when physical distancing became necessary and communication/edtech companies boomed, loneliness today is allowing companies to design various products, from AI chatbots to subscription platforms, generating billions of dollars around the world. Take dating apps, for example — they only sell the hope of connecting with someone. If that too fails, then chatbots and AI ‘friends’ are ready to be your companions. These apps now play a major role in human life. Staying away from the real human world, people have permanently adopted technology as their own. Apps like Replika, AI pendants like ‘Friend’, and Grok’s circle of companions are creating a storm on the internet. They have made their presence felt everywhere by promising comfort to the lonely masses, and their demand is sky-high.
In order to combat loneliness and fulfil the quest for company, people are also turning toward solutions beyond the internet. New services that rent out “friends” or “dinner companions” are becoming popular, especially in powerful countries like Japan, Korea, and America. This is not online dating, but offline friending — where
even just sitting with someone has a cost; even a hug has a price — all done in a purely friendly manner. Rising loneliness has also boosted the economy of the pet industry — both real dogs and cats, as well as digital pets, have become thriving businesses worldwide.
Among youth, “me time” has become trendy. In big cities, buzzwords such as “quality time” and “personal space” have taken over conversations. Most women these days are working, balancing office and home. But in the hustle of responsibilities, they find it hard to spare time for themselves; in joint families, this becomes even tougher. Ultimately, all roads lead into the corporate world of loneliness, where every minute you spend becomes profit for service providers in the form of data/ads/monthly fees. The truth is clear — lonely people make excellent customers. They spend more time online — whether for entertainment or dating apps — and are more willing to pay even for AI companions.
In Seoul, South Korea’s capital, nearly 40% of people live alone. This problem is seen especially in the younger generation, who, despite technological progress, are suffering from a lack of social connection. To address this, the city is opening “Mind Convenience Stores” at the government level — where free food, books, games, massages, and most importantly — conversation — are offered to refresh people’s minds and help them escape their boring, busy routines.
Even in Japan — a country advanced in nearly every field as if already living in 2050 — loneliness has become a serious problem. With nearly 42% of its population suffering from the curse of isolation, this nation tops the world in this growing issue, causing not just personal but also social and economic concern. Digital platforms are keeping people “connected” online, yet the lack of real-life relationships is widening social distances. Japan has now become the country with the highest demand for AI chatbots and virtual friends. More countries will likely face similar shortages in human connections shortly.
Loneliness is being linked to rising rates of depression, anxiety, heart disease, diabetes, and even early death. Meanwhile, AI has opened up a new avenue, offering fresh opportunities for “friendship” — but again, the question remains: do virtual relationships truly take precedence over real ones? To defeat loneliness, we first need to develop our social skills, try to converse more with those around us, so that forming new relationships becomes easier. Understanding the effects of loneliness and finding ways to combat it has become essential for today’s generation. Try to blend into a social environment; be positive and talk casually while going about your daily routine. We must realise that loneliness is not just a personal issue — it poses a serious concern for the health and development of society. We must consciously remove some time from our daily schedules for social interaction; for a little while, set aside the stress of home and office and spend time with living, laughing, smiling human beings.