The Profound Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Our Ability to Connect

The number of times we check our phones every day is shocking! Studies estimate the average person taps, swipes, or clicks their device over 2,600 times a day, and heavy users check in at more than 5,400 interactions daily. Each notification, scroll, or quick message offers a fleeting sense of connection. But here’s the paradox: while these micro-interactions promise closeness, they often leave us feeling more isolated, anxious, and emotionally starved than before. And that’s not even considering the impact of artificial intelligence!

A false intimacy has become part of the digital age we live in. Being in constant contact isn’t the same as being truly connected. We, who are on a path of personal growth and authentic living, need  to connect on a deeper level. Otherwise, we lack clarity, resilience, and meaning.

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence: Illusion of Connection vs. Embodied Presence

By definition, artificial means it’s not the genuine article. AI systems are designed to mimic aspects of human thought, conversation, and decision-making, and they can be impressively convincing. But they lack the one thing that makes connection meaningful: authentic human presence. 

One major impact of artificial intelligence is that it’s starting to blur the lines between what feels real and what is manufactured, subtly reshaping our relationship dynamics. We’re retraining our human intelligences — emotional, somatic, relational, and intuitive — to engage with simulations instead of the nuanced, messy, beautifully imperfect reality of each other.

In a world that’s rapidly normalizing artificial connection, it’s time to reclaim the wisdom of our multiple intelligences and remember what it means to be fully, humanly, connected.

What Real Connection Requires

True intimacy lives in the embodied presence of being fully seen and heard by another human, where nuance, tone, body language, and unspoken energy all speak volumes.

We’re wired for more than text on a screen. Our nervous systems crave micro-expressions, shifts in posture, the warmth of a shared gaze. And while AI companions and chatbots might mimic conversation and offer programmed empathy, they can’t replicate the visceral, human experience of being truly known.

Did you know apps offer AI best friends, digital therapists, and virtual partners? Yes, you can now have artificial relationships. It raises a question: What happens when our baseline for connection is with an entity that never challenges us, never feels with us, and always agrees?

The Neuroscience of Digital Dopamine vs. True Intimacy

Every notification, like, and message triggers a hit of dopamine, the brain’s reward chemical. It’s fast, addictive, and fleeting. This is the same mechanism behind slot machines and endless social scrolling.

By contrast, authentic connection activates oxytocin, the bonding hormone, which soothes the nervous system, builds trust, and promotes emotional regulation. It’s slower, often messier, but far more nourishing.

Hmmm… which one do you want — to be stimulated or nourished? Which do you need?

Because here’s the thing… algorithms can track your preferences and suggest your next binge-watch, but they won’t hold your hand when you’re hurting or celebrate your quiet victories. We need the kind of attention that says, I see you. I’m with you.

Rediscovering the Lost Art of Sustained Attention

Hyperconnectivity is replacing mindfulness and being fully present. We’ve normalized half-listening while scrolling, reacting in between tasks, and maintaining split-screen conversations. Yet meaningful relationships require what MIT professor and sociologist Sherry Turkle calls sacred pauses, our eyes connect, and we give another person the rare, generous gift of undivided presence.

Practicing sustained attention rewires the brain, rekindles empathy, and reminds us of the simple, radical act of truly receiving another human being.

How Our Multiple Intelligences Deepen Connection

Sophie, one of my coaching clients, admitted, “I have so many people around me, but I feel lonelier than ever.”

As we unpacked her experience, it became clear: digital interactions had replaced deeper, face-to-face moments. Her healing began with a simple shift: a weekly, phone-free coffee date with a trusted friend. Presence returned. The ache softened. Our working together reminded her that connection isn’t just something we stumble into. It’s something we practice.

To reclaim authentic connection, we must engage more than cognitive intelligence. My EMERGE framework invites us to draw on multiple forms of human intelligence as we mindfully deepen our human connections:

Emotional Intelligence — sensing, naming, and responding to our own and others’ feelings.

Somatic Intelligence — tune in to your body wisdom, noticing gut feelings, tension, and ease.

Cognitive Intelligence — use reflection and curiosity to explore relationships.

Relational Intelligence — work on the subtle art of shared presence, co-regulation, and mutual empathy in real time.

Experiential Intelligence — develop wisdom through direct, lived experience, fostering nuanced understanding of human interactions.

Intuitive Intelligence — sense beyond words, grasping deeper emotional currents.

Spiritual Intelligence — connect with deeper meaning, values, and purpose.

Ecological Wisdom — be aware of our interconnectedness with the natural world, expanding empathy beyond human circles.

Collective Wisdom — gain insights from group interactions and community presence.

Creative Wisdom — innovate and adapt, finding fresh ways to connect meaningfully.

When these intelligences work in harmony, conversations become richer, trust deepens, and relationships shift from transactional to transformational.

 “Dream Big, Start Small.” Here’s the one thing you can do today.

Is it time for a digital cleanse? Pick one day and notice every digital interaction you have. Then ask yourself:

• Did this leave me feeling more connected or more depleted?
• At the end of the day, what three moments felt most meaningful?
• What made those moments different? 

I’m betting the meaningful moments involve real human connection, so you’ll want to intentionally invite more of those moments into your week.

Choose to Be Known

The paradox of digital intimacy and the impact of artificial intelligence is part of life now.  But you don’t have to be trapped by it. Connection is a mindful practice — a conscious, embodied choice in a world increasingly designed for distraction.

One meaningful, human-to-human moment can nourish your soul more than a hundred notifications. Only people can truly know you. Choose to be known. And if you’re ready to practice deeper, wiser, more nourishing connections, I’d be honored to be your coach.

 

Thank you for the group photo Ecaterina MD