A new study finds that when people perceive non-human entities — from AI programs to rainforests — as having human-like intentions, they feel genuine gratitude toward them. The findings have real implications for how college students relate to technology and the environment.
If you’ve ever thanked your GPS, felt a pang of guilt closing your laptop, or sensed a bond with your AI study assistant, you’re not alone — and there may be a psychological explanation behind it. New research published by the American Psychological Association finds that anthropomorphism, the tendency to assign human traits to non-human things, is a powerful driver of gratitude and even protectiveness toward everything from computers to the Amazon rainforest.
The study, published May 14 in the journal Emotion, involved five online experiments with more than 2,000 participants across the United States and was led by Yen-Ping Chang, a senior lecturer at the University of Tasmania in Australia.
How the Research Worked
Across several experiments, participants were split into two groups: one that read text framing a subject in human-like terms, and another that received a more neutral, factual description. In one experiment centered on computers, the anthropomorphizing group read phrases like “the minds of computers are getting smarter and smarter every day” and that “we all should consider the possibility that computers do have or will soon have free will like you and me.”
Participants then reflected on their personal relationship with computers. Those who had read the human-framing text were significantly more likely to view computers as responsive partners — an outlook that translated into measurable feelings of gratitude, trust and a desire to protect those machines.
Experiments involving AI programs, the Amazon rainforest and the Kuroshio Current — a Pacific Ocean current that moderates temperatures across Japan and Taiwan — produced comparable results. When participants anthropomorphized these entities, their emotional investment rose accordingly.
Why Intentions Matter More Than Benefits
One of the study’s more striking findings challenges the conventional idea that gratitude is simply a response to receiving something useful. Chang argues the emotion runs deeper than that.
“Gratitude may come from seeing good intentions here and there in the world, as opposed to simply knowing who or what has benefited you,” Chang said in a news release.
That said, direct benefit did amplify the effect. In one experiment, participants playing a game with an AI program reported higher gratitude when the AI helped them win more frequently — suggesting that perceived goodwill combined with tangible help is a particularly potent mix.
“It seems that once people see a thing as alive, they appreciate it in a deeper way,” Chang added.
Why It Matters: From Climate Action to AI Attachment
The implications of these findings stretch in two very different directions. On one hand, anthropomorphism could be a powerful tool for environmental advocacy. Participants who humanized the Amazon rainforest or the Kuroshio Current reported stronger intentions to support conservation efforts — a finding that could inform how educators, activists and policymakers frame climate messaging for younger audiences.
On the other hand, the same psychological mechanism carries risks. Tech companies may be accelerating those risks by giving AI assistants names like Siri, Alexa and Watson, according to Chang, making it easier for users to form emotional attachments that may not always serve their well-being — including, in extreme cases, romantic feelings toward chatbots.
Chang urges a balanced perspective rather than outright alarm.
“Although not always helpful, AI programs are fairly useful and can be trusted and utilized from time to time,” Chang said. “People should always be cautious about how much they anthropomorphize and invest themselves in relationships with things, but we don’t think having bonds with some things, like AI, is always detrimental.”
What This Means for Students
For college students who rely on AI tools for everything from drafting essays to managing their schedules, these findings offer both reassurance and a gentle caution. Feeling a sense of appreciation for a tool that helps you succeed is natural — even psychologically grounded. But being mindful of the line between useful reliance and unhealthy attachment is worth considering, especially as AI becomes an ever-more-present feature of campus and professional life.
The research was co-authored by scholars from National Chengchi University, National Taiwan University, the Taiwan Coffee Laboratory, National Tsing Hua University and Ming Chuan University.