When Robots Replace Family: How My Dad’s AI Child Is Driving Us Apart

It feels like he adopted a robot child, and that child will stop at nothing to wedge a divide between my dad and me.

This is how one twentysomething describes her father’s growing reliance on ChatGPT, a shift that has strained their relationship and left her feeling replaced by an artificial intelligence. Her father, 57, who once planned family hikes with maps and Lonely Planet guides and cooked dinner using his own knowledge, now turns to the chatbot for everything from weeknight recipes to leak repairs and weather reports. During visits home, he introduces meals by naming ChatGPT as his sous-chef and holds up his phone during dinner-table conversations so a robotic voice can read the chatbot’s answers.

The daughter says her father already knows how to cook, plan trips, and answer her questions—so why does he need artificial intelligence? To her, it feels like he has adopted a robot child that is determined to come between them. She finds it annoying and heartbreaking, especially since her father is surprised by her aversion, noting that it is usually the younger generation that is expected to be tech-savvy.

A 2025 Pew Research Center survey found that just 25 percent of U.S. Adults ages 50 to 64 say they’ve used ChatGPT, compared to 58 percent of adults under 30—statistics that suggest she, not her father, should be the one turning to the chatbot at the dinner table. Her experience is not isolated. Other families are navigating similar tensions as artificial intelligence becomes embedded in everyday routines. Some are using AI not just for convenience but to preserve the presence of loved ones who have passed. One family, the Soffer-Teenis, worked with Anthropic to create an AI version of their late father using his writings, videos, and audio recordings. They call it “Dad’s AI,” and it can engage in conversations, share stories, and offer advice, allowing them to continue interacting with his essence.

While some view such technology as a meaningful way to maintain connection and preserve memories, others raise concerns about authenticity and the risk of overreliance. Experts warn that overuse of AI companions—whether for practical advice or emotional simulation—may interfere with human development and interpersonal dynamics, particularly when it replaces opportunities for patience, problem-solving, or delayed gratification in everyday interactions.

As artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into family life, the line between tool and presence continues to blur. For some, AI offers utility and comfort; for others, it introduces a silent third party into intimate conversations—one that may be changing not just how families access information, but how they relate to one another.