MIT Department of Anthropology

New MIT class uses anthropology to improve chatbots

MIT Anthropology

New MIT class uses anthropology to improve chatbots

MIT computer science students design AI chatbots to help young users become more social, and socially confident.

Denise Brehm | MIT Morningside Academy for Design
Photo: Ken Richardson

April 8, 2026

Four MIT students look at a laptop together in a large open space

Young adults growing up in the attention economy — preparing for adult life, with social media and chatbots competing for their attention — can easily fall into unhealthy relationships with digital platforms. But what if chatbots weren’t mere distractions from real life? Could they be designed humanely, as moral partners whose digital goal is to be a social guide rather than an addictive escape?

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