I do wonder if conversational AI has a place for those who don't otherwise have someone to talk to.

We just moved away from a condo where my wife was the only friend our elderly neighbor has - she can't drive, has no close family and few friends in the area. There is someone from the senior center that comes a few times a week to bring meals and generally check in on her, but she only stays for 15 minutes.

My wife would visit her a couple times a week and they'd spend a couple hours together. Now that we moved away, they chat mostly via text and about once a month for an in-person visit.

Would an AI chatbot be better than no one at all?