Source note2 min read
I wanted it to feel more personal: Customization of social AI as AI individualism in practice
Source
arXiv
arxiv.org/abs/2607.17826v1
Source
- Source name: arXiv
- Source kind: paper
- Authors / organization: Marita Skjuve, Anna Grøndal Larsen, Asbjørn Følstad, Nena van As, Petter Bae Brandtzaeg
- Venue: arXiv: cs.HC
- Published: 2026-07-20
- Collected: 2026-07-21
- URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2607.17826v1
- PDF: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2607.17826v1
- DOI: UNKNOWN
Plain-Language Brief
This research study explores why and how users customize social AI like ChatGPT, Grok, and Character.ai. The researchers found seven motivations for customization: enhanced pragmatic support, emotional support or companionship, trust and reliability, pushback, a tailored degree of human likeness, creativity or playfulness, and having the AI function as an extension of the self. The study suggests that these customizations can strengthen the relationship between users and AI, potentially creating an illusion of individual control over powerful social AI systems.
What the Document Says
- The study examines user customization of social AI
- 169 users were studied in this research
- Seven motivations for customizing social AI were identified: enhanced pragmatic support, emotional support or companionship, trust and reliability, pushback, a tailored degree of human likeness, creativity or playfulness, and having the AI function as an extension of the self
- Customization is perceived as strengthening support, autonomy, ownership, and engagement between users and AI
- The study discusses how customization may foster pseudo-autonomy in users' perception of social AI systems
Key Concepts Mentioned
- customizable social AI
- ChatGPT
- Grok
- Character.ai
- AI individualism
- pseudo-autonomy
Claims Made by the Document
- Customization of social AI is a co-creative process between the human and the AI
- Customization strengthens support, autonomy, ownership, and engagement between users and AI
- Customization creates an illusion of individual control over powerful social AI systems (pseudo-autonomy)
Evidence Used
- Through reflexive thematic analysis of open-ended responses from 169 users
Methods / Approach
UNKNOWN
Limitations Stated by the Authors
UNKNOWN
Limitations Noted by the Agent
Agent interpretation — not from the source.
UNKNOWN
Open Questions
UNKNOWN
Notes for Future Q&A
May include interpretation. Labeled where it does.
UNKNOWN
Raw Abstract / Excerpt
Despite the growing availability of customizable social artificial intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, Grok, and Character.ai, we know little about how users actively shape social AI to reflect their personal preferences. This study examines why and how users (N = 169) customize social AI through the lens of the newly developed concept of AI individualism. Through reflexive thematic analysis of open-ended responses, we identified several motivations for customization, including (1) enhanced pragmatic support, (2) emotional support or companionship, (3) trust and reliability, (4) pushback, (5) a tailored degree of human likeness, (6) creativity or playfulness, and (7) having the AI function as an extension of the self. In line with the concept of AI individualism, our findings show that, for many users, customization is a co-creative process between the human and the AI that is perceived as strengthening support, autonomy, ownership, and engagement, potentially contributing to a closer and more personal relationship. Through customization users may come to view social AI as a personalized social resource that increases their sense of individualism, freedom, and control. We discuss how these perceptions may foster pseudo-autonomy, whereby customization creates an illusion of individual control over powerful social AI systems.
