CEFContemporary Education Frontiers3029-18793029-1860WHIOCE PUBLISHING PTE. LTD.10.18063/CEF.v4i1.1272ArticleAI Emotional Companionship Services Among University Students: Usage and Payment Intentions in Zhejiang’s Higher Education Institutionshttps://artdesignp.com/journal/CEF/4/1/10.18063/CEF.v4i1.1272CuiYongji,YeYangshuai2026412026-01-26 In the context of growing mental health needs among university students facing academic and social pressures, AI-driven emotional companionship has emerged as a promising support channel. Focusing on Zhejiang Province, this study examined students’ usage patterns, functional preferences, willingness to pay, and market potential for AI emotional companionship services. Through 1,361 valid questionnaires and 30 in-depth interviews, data were analyzed using factor analysis, logistic regression, and XGBoost modeling. Findings indicate high acceptance of these services, yet actual usage and payment conversion rates remain limited, with privacy, user experience, and ethical safety identified as critical determinants. The study offers practical recommendations regarding product design, ethical guidelines, pricing strategies, and market positioning, providing empirical support for service development and contributing to the literature on AI adoption in emotional support contexts.AI companionship services, University students’ mental health, Willingness to pay, Empirical research

[1] Deng S, Jia R, 2025, Research on Companion AI User Experience Based on the Three-Level Theory of Emotion. Information Studies: Theory & Application, 1–12. [2] Zuo J, Zhang Y, 2022, Analysis of University Students’ Motivations for Accessing and Using “Wangyiyun”—An Empirical Study Based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process. Public Communication of Science & Technology, 14(12): 134–138 + 142. [3] Zhang X, Sun J, 2023, On Virtual AI Discourse: An Exploration of Users’ Emotional Connections with Chatbots—Taking the Software Replika as an Example. Modern Communication (Journal of Communication University of China), 45(09): 124–133. [4] Liu S, 2024, Applications and Ethical Reflections on Emotional Interaction in the AI Era: The Case of the AI “Xiaoice” Framework. Public Communication of Science & Technology, 16(01): 19–22. [5] Alotaibi OJ, Alshahre SA, 2024, The Role of Conversational AI Agents in Providing Support and Social Care for Isolated Individuals. Alexandria Engineering Journal, 108: 273–284. [6] Richet LJ, 2025, AI Companionship or Digital Entrapment? Investigating the Impact of Anthropomorphic AI-Based Chatbots. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 10(6): 100835. [7] Lai L, Pan Y, Xu R, et al., 2025, Depression and the Use of Conversational AI for Companionship Among College Students: The Mediating Role of Loneliness and the Moderating Effects of Gender and Mind Perception. Frontiers in Public Health, 13: 1580826. [8] Cao B, Luo L, 2024, Developmental Characteristics and Mechanism Effects of Companion Chatbots. Youth Journalist, (02): 19–22. [9] Gui Y, 2025, An Exploration of AI Intimacy Based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. PR Magazine, (10): 41–43. [10] Chen P, Chen Y, 2025, The Mechanism of Artificial Intelligence Anxiety Influencing Generative AI Adoption Behaviour: An Empirical Study Based on the Technology Acceptance Model. New Media and Society, 1–17. [11] Malfacini K, 2025, The Impacts of Companion AI on Human Relationships: Risks, Benefits, and Design Considerations. AI & Soc, 40: 5527–5540. [12] Zhao Y, Wang J, Mou R, et al., 2025, Analysis of the Current Status and Frontier Trends in International Human-Machine Emotional Interaction Research Based on Bibliometric Analysis. Science and Technology Management Research, 45(15): 251–263. [13] Cao B, Zhi B, 2025, Young Users' Technological Expectations and Relational Imaginings Towards Companion Chatbots: A Micro-Perspective Examination Based on Design Interviews. Journal of Changsha University, 39(1): 41–49. [14] Zhang J, 2025, Realisation and Significance of Emotional Interaction in Digital Communication. Journal of Beijing Institute of Technology (Social Sciences Edition), 27(03): 1–9. [15] Gu Y, Ren F, 2024, A Retrospective on Key Developments in Human-Machine Emotional Interaction. Science & Technology Review, 43(01): 132–142. [16] Wang Z, Lv X, 2023, From “Digital Shells” to “Interesting Souls”: Generative AI Leading the Transformation of Digital Human Interaction Models. Media, (20): 49–50.