Director of the Stanford Neuroscience Lab, connection expert Jamil Zaki knows that cooperation and trust are key to healthy, successful communities. In a world in which cynical attitudes often prevail and alienation is common, human connection paves the way for kinder, happier people and a brighter future.

In an article recently published in the Wall Street Journal, Zaki shared his insights into how to reverse a troubling trend that threatens building tight-knit communities: AI-powered “virtual friends.” With the rates of friendship between co-workers rapidly declining and chatbots advertised as offering therapy and companionship, there is a very real risk of these technologies widening the gap between lonely people and genuine connection.