Can I get a connection?

One of the hardest feelings to have is the feeling that you belong nowhere. That you are unseen. This sense of belonging is something that makes us deeply human. We need some form of connection to others, otherwise we get lonely. Even when we are surrounded by many people.

There are many different forms of loneliness, for example emotional, social or existential. All are very hard in their own way, but they all have one thing in common factor: the absence of a meaningful connection. One of the simplest ways to feel a connection is via touch. As humans, we are sensitive to temperature and we like the feeling of touching something or someone.

AI Pets

One way humans try to ease loneliness is by getting a pet. Pets offer companionship, and affection, and in doing so reduce feelings of loneliness. However, it is not always possible for people to get a pet.

A solution to this are robotic pets. They wag their tails, respond to touch, and even mimic affection (ABC News, 2025). In nursing homes, robotic pets are already being used to comfort residents. They don’t tire, bite, or age, but they still seem to offer warmth, or in other words a connection.

AI Companions

But in this day and age, people try to fill the gap of loneliness even more. The "problem" with pets is that you cannot truly talk to them. But now there are digital beings designed who are not only able to respond to commands but also to emotionally connect.

What began as simple chatbots and virtual assistants, has grown into AI companions. Studies suggest that interacting with AI companions can reduce feelings of loneliness for some people (Neuroscience News, 2023), offering a connection to lonely people who desperately need this.

Can I get a connection?

My inspiration for this assignment is the song “Connection” by OneRepublic. Early in the song, they sing:

“If there’s so many people here, then why am I so lonely?”

This line instantly paints the picture in my mind of someone standing alone in a crowd. The person looks sad, hunched, surrounded by others, but still isolated. Then, something changes. Someone tries to make a connection. Someone reaches out and touches them. The moment that connection happens, the person lights up, they stand up, and they feel alive again. As long as that connection remains, the person feels happy and whole. But when the touch, the connection, fades away, the loneliness quietly returns.

In this assignment, I would visualize this "person" as a hand connected to a "body" with a light for a head. In its lonely state, the lamp is hunched forward and out. But when someone touches the hand, the head (the lamp) straightens up and lights brightly, symbolizing the feeling of connection. See the sketch alongside for visualization.

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