But I'm not even talking about that. While I think embodied AI would probably improve the illusion and might help some people, the fundamental issue is that loneliness can only be alleviated by an entity that
can judge you as unworthy of their attention and time. If you build a robot specifically to give someone positive regard it actually isn't giving positive regard because it has no choice.
While there are basic elements of human interaction which robots could provide, the need to have the actual approval of members of your actual community of their own free will and volition cannot be "outsourced" to an entity without agency.
