How Do Fans Use AI Social Chatbots? A Multi-Method Exploration of Fan Accounts

In the present study, we employed qualitative and quantitative content analytic methods to explore how fans use social chatbots to engage with the object of their fandom. Drawing on theories of self-disclosure, the Computers Are Social Actors (CASA) paradigm, and parasocial relationships, we investigated motivations underlying chatbot use among fandom communities. Data consisted of 813 Reddit comments discussing Character.ai use. Using qualitative thematic analysis, n-gram collocation analysis, and dictionary-based text analysis, the study identified five primary motivations: fan facilitation, safe harbor, virtual social compensation, real-life (IRL) social contact, and entertainment. Findings indicated that Character.ai was used by fans to extend fandom experiences, engage in role-play and creative storytelling, seek emotional support, compensate for unmet social needs, and explore interests in a judgment-free environment. Evidence from the thematic and n-gram analyses suggested that fandom engagement and social motivations were identified by users as important drivers of use, while utilitarian functions also played a role. The findings highlight how social chatbots may be reshaping fan practices, parasocial engagement, and digitally mediated companionship. Findings are discussed in terms of the dual character of fan C.ai use, namely as a tool to both meet social needs and avoid social contact, with its potential benefits and hazards for fans engaging with social chatbots.