JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Conversational artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, including chatbots, virtual agents, and digital companions, are increasingly positioned as a response to social isolation, loneliness, and unmet psychosocial needs across health and care contexts. In particular, non-embodied, non-robotic AI-based digital companions have attracted growing attention for their potential to address social isolation and loneliness among older adults and people living with dementia. Yet the evidence base remains under explored. Terminology is inconsistently applied, systems are variably defined, and studies are distributed across disciplinary silos, limiting critical investigation of how these technologies are conceptualized, designed, and evaluated.

Objective:

This scoping review aims to map and critically synthesize the existing literature on non-embodied AI-based digital companions in health, aging, and care contexts. The review seeks to describe the types of digital companions studied, examine methodological approaches employed, and examine conceptual and empirical gaps to inform future research and design.

Methods:

This protocol follows the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews and will be reported accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines (PRISMA-ScR). A comprehensive search will be conducted across multiple electronic databases, including MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, and ACM Digital Library, as well as selected grey literature sources. Eligible studies will include empirical research involving adults aged 18 years and older that examines non-embodied or minimally embodied AI-based digital companions designed for companionship or social connection in health and care contexts. Two reviewers will independently conduct study selection and data charting. Data will be synthesized using descriptive statistics and narrative analysis.

Results:

This protocol outlines a systematic approach to identifying, selecting, and synthesizing the existing evidence on non-embodied AI-based digital companions. The scoping review will summarize study characteristics, populations, contexts, digital companion features, and methodological trends using descriptive tables and narrative synthesis.

Conclusions:

This scoping review is expected to clarify conceptual boundaries, map the scope of current research, and identify knowledge gaps related to non-embodied AI-based digital companions in health, aging, and care contexts. The findings will inform future research, design, and implementation of digital companion technologies.