Functional intersubjectivity: Toward a well-being framework for AI companions

In this Comment, we define functional intersubjectivity as the experience of being understood with genuine emotional resonance by AI companions, regardless of whether these systems possess actual consciousness. We examine how this phenomenon enables both therapeutic benefits and significant risks in human-AI relationships. We also make recommendations for a co-regulatory framework integrating user competency development, mandatory platform safeguards, and clinical oversight protocols to ensure AI companions serve human flourishing rather than exploitation.