As AI chatbots become increasingly integrated into daily life, young adults are forming romantic relationships with AI companions, a phenomenon remaining poorly understood. This study investigates how university students construct authenticity in these relationships and how they deploy AI companions to navigate existing human romantic partnerships. While existing research examines how AI simulates empathy (Ovsyannikova et al., 2025), it overlooks how young adults evaluate and experience authenticity in AI-mediated intimacy. We define authenticity as the capacity to present one's genuine self within a relationship. This study reveals how technology reshapes expectations of intimacy and self-expression among adults (Guzman & Lewis, 2020; Sundar & Lee, 2022). We surveyed 30 university students with direct experience of AI romantic relationships or who had used AI companions to support their human relationships. Using thematic analysis, we identified patterns in how participants negotiated authenticity with AI versus human partners. We considered how demographics, gender, sexual orientation, and family background, influenced engagement with these technologies. Our findings reveal a paradox: participants felt more freed to present themselves authentically with AI companions, but due to their non-judgmental nature rather than authenticity substitution in relationships. Participants used AI companions in distinct ways: for emotional validation, conflict rehearsal, or as relationship substitutes. The study contributes to human-machine communication research by demonstrating how young adults' engagement with AI companions reflects evolving definitions of intimacy and authenticity (Roumeliotis & Tselikas, 2023). These findings clarify how technology mediates psychological development during university years, a formative period for identity formation

Authors:
Tejash Kumar Singh, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

About the Presenter(s)
His hobbies include dreaming of travelling, occasionally watching football, and weightlifting. An animal-lover, Tejash has set up an animal charity which donates regularly to needy animals worldwide. He is also currently owned by his cat, Maya."

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/tejash-kumar-singh-2593b21a5

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