Increasing Reliance on Artificial Intelligence Observed Among Community Members in Yakutia
In the digital age, Russia has seen a significant surge in the use of AI companions, particularly in dealing with stress and anxiety. These virtual bots, which have become increasingly popular, are helping Russians manage their mental health challenges and combat loneliness.
The most popular AI chatbots for everyday communication in Russia include Character.ai, Talkie, and Replika. According to recent data, Russians interact with these psychological support AI chatbots for an average of 19 minutes per month, a figure that has been steadily increasing.
The growth in the audience for these stress-relief virtual bots in Russia has almost quadrupled. In the past six months alone, traffic for psychological support AI chatbots increased by 3.6 times, and the overall traffic volume for AI services in Russia increased fourfold by 2025.
Interest in AI companions in Russia is growing rapidly, with Yakutia, a region in Siberia, showing particular interest. While specific data on AI companion services uniquely popular or developed in Yakutia is limited, the trends in Russia likely mirror those in Yakutia.
AI companions are filling gaps in traditional mental health care, especially in remote or underserved areas like Yakutia, by providing accessible emotional support and everyday interaction. These AI companions offer emotional support for stress and anxiety, contributing to symptom reduction similar to clinical interventions demonstrated on global platforms like Woebot.
In addition to emotional support, AI companions serve as conversational partners for companionship and alleviating loneliness, particularly valuable in sparsely populated or isolated communities. They also assist with daily reminders, cognitive and emotional engagement, and personalized communication tailored to user moods and preferences through continuous machine learning.
Emerging trends show AI companions evolving towards more immersive experiences with VR/AR integration and machine empathy, potentially creating hybrid human-AI emotional relationships that could become significant in future social and mental health frameworks worldwide, including Russia.
In Yakutia, women make up 63% of users communicating with digital interlocutors. Since the beginning of 2025, subscribers in Yakutia have increased traffic on AI-related resources by 7 times. The popularity of virtual companions is growing rapidly in Yakutia, with the user base of psychological support AI chatbots like Wysa, Woebot, and Earkick growing almost fivefold in six months. These chatbots account for 69% of the total time users spend with AI bots in Yakutia.
In the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), AI companions are most often used by subscribers aged 36-45, making up 45% of the total number of users. The usage of AI companions in Yakutia has shown a threefold increase from January to December in 2025, and a doubling from March to April and from April to June.
As the use of AI companions continues to grow, these virtual bots are set to play a significant role in mental health support and everyday communication in Russia and Yakutia. Further research may uncover more about the unique AI companion services and providers in these regions.
The surge in the use of AI companions in Russia, particularly psychological support chatbots like Character.ai, Talkie, and Replika, has quadrupled over the past six months, with Yakutia, a region in Siberia, demonstrating a significant interest. Moreover, the use of AI companions in Yakutia has shown a threefold increase from January to December in 2025, and these chatbots now account for 69% of the total time users spend with AI bots in Yakutia, indicating the growing reliance on artificial-intelligence technology for mental health support and everyday communication.
