Human-Machine Relationships: Trust, Wellbeing, and the Ethics of AI and Robotic Interaction

Artificial intelligence, robotics, and intelligent digital systems are increasingly embedded in everyday life, shaping how people work, communicate, seek help, and form relationships. As these technologies become more autonomous, socially responsive, and emotionally aware, understanding their psychological consequences has become urgent. How do people develop trust in AI and robotic systems? How does prolonged interaction with intelligent agents affect emotional regulation, social behaviour, and mental health? And how can human-centred design and ethical frameworks ensure that these systems support rather than undermine human agency and wellbeing?This Research Topic focuses on the psychological and cognitive dimensions of human interaction with AI systems, social robots, and intelligent digital environments, with particular emphasis on trust, emotional experience, wellbeing, and ethical implications. It complements adjacent work on immersive learning technologies by focusing not on educational outcomes or sensory affordances, but on the relational, affective, and societal consequences of human-machine interaction across everyday, clinical, and professional contexts.We welcome contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Trust, agency, and social presence in AI and HRI. How do people calibrate trust in AI systems and social robots? What cognitive and affective processes underlie perceived agency, anthropomorphism, and social presence in human-robot interaction?• Digital wellbeing and emotional regulation. How does sustained interaction with AI, social media algorithms, and intelligent systems affect emotional regulation, stress, self-concept, and psychological wellbeing? What individual and contextual factors moderate these effects?• Mental health applications and risks. How can AI and robotic systems support mental health intervention, therapeutic relationships, and clinical care? What are the psychological risks of over-reliance, parasocial bonding, or inappropriate disclosure to AI agents?• Ethics, autonomy, and human oversight. How do people perceive and respond to algorithmic decision-making, AI transparency, and the delegation of consequential choices to machines? What psychological principles should inform human-centred and ethically responsible AI design?• Individual differences and vulnerability. How do age, personality, cognitive style, or mental health status shape responses to AI and robotic systems? Which populations are at heightened risk of harm or heightened potential for benefit?Social and relational consequences of AI integration. How does the presence of • AI and robots in social, professional, and caregiving contexts affect interpersonal dynamics, role identity, and human-human relationships?We welcome empirical, theoretical, and review contributions from psychology, cognitive science, HCI, and related disciplines. Studies using behavioural, self-report, physiological, or computational methods are all appropriate. Research situated in clinical, occupational, caregiving, or everyday consumer contexts is particularly encouraged. Topic editors: Margherita Dahò, Casper Harteveld Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/82661/human-machine-relationships-trust-wellbeing-and-the-ethics-of-ai-and-robotic-interaction