The Chatbot Next Door: A Sociosemiotic Inquiry into the Naturalisation of ChatGPT

This study explores the semiotic dynamics behind the widespread integration of ChatGPT into everyday life, focusing on its evolving thematic roles as digital partner and therapist. By analyzing ChatGPT not merely as a technological product but as a mediator of meaning, the paper investigates how its human-like functions are perceived, narrated, and normalized by users and the brand itself. Using a sociosemiotic approach in dialogue with netnography, the research examines ChatGPT’s branding strategies, revealing how emotional and affective functions are increasingly attributed to the platform. The paper highlights how users establish trust and intimacy with ChatGPT, often engaging with it as a confidant or even romantic partner, despite its lack of embodied presence or true intentionality. Notably, Section 3 on ChatGPT as a therapist was authored by Giorgia Adamo; while section 4 on ChatGPT as romantic partner by Noemi Rita Sanfilippo. By bridging semiotics with digital ethnography, the paper reflects on the societal implications of such emotional entanglements with AI, questioning the boundaries between utility, companionship, and affective dependency. The paper contributes to understanding how technology not only mediates communication but also reconfigures intimacy, emotional labor, and the human-machine bond in the digital age.