How Much Time Are People Spending Talking to Chatbots? [2025 Survey]

AI chatbots aren’t just creeping into our daily lives - they’re carving out whole chunks of our calendars. 

But what’s fascinating is how differently states are leaning into the AI trend. Some are practically building second lives online, while others are treating AI as a passing distraction. 

Beyond screen time, the survey hints at deeper questions about trust, secrets, and whether Americans see these bots as tools or companions. 

Our survey of 3,012 respondents revealed some interesting habits of our AI lifestyles:

Key Findings

• South Dakota tops the charts with 53 extra days spent chatting - nearly two months of digital companionship. That’s more time than the average American takes for vacation in a year. It suggests AI is less a novelty here and more a lifeline, filling long, rural stretches with conversation.

• Montana, Virginia, and Kansas aren’t far behind, all topping 40 extra days. It’s telling that three of the top four are quieter, less urban states - chatbots may be standing in for social opportunities that aren’t as abundant offline.

• Vermont barely registers with just five days. New Hampshire isn’t much higher at ten. In these smaller, tight-knit states, it looks like people still prefer face-to-face chats over algorithmic ones.

• Is it friendship - or just an app? Our survey found 37% of Americans describe their chatbot relationship as closer to a friend than an app. That’s a hefty chunk - and it tracks closely with states spending the most time online. 

• Confessions and secrets - Roughly 42% would rather confess to a chatbot than a therapist or priest, and 32% admit to telling their bot things they would never tell family or partners. That’s striking when you compare it with states like New York (34 days) or California (33 days)—high-engagement areas where density, anonymity, and tech culture already encourage people to share more freely online.

By contrast, states with minimal use (Vermont, New Hampshire) may not yet be pushing into that intimate territory.

• Quirks worth noting: 22% of Americans admit they would cancel plans to continue a good chatbot conversation. Pair that with Virginia’s 42 extra days, and you can almost picture double-booked calendars where dinner with friends loses out to digital banter.

• Some stats are surreal: nearly a quarter of respondents would let a chatbot officiate a wedding. 

Final Thoughts

The numbers paint a fascinating picture: across the board, Americans are starting to confide, trust, and even prioritize AI solutions over human interactions. 

Whether that’s a sign of deeper loneliness or simply digital convenience depends on how you look at it - but one thing is clear: the line between tool and friend is getting thinner by the day.