Humanlike design earns machines real benefits: patience, forgiveness, attention people wouldn't give a plain tool. This project examines where that becomes a problem, when humanlike cues are used to manufacture trust or affection a system hasn't earned, rather than to genuinely help the person using it. It looks at real cases across chatbots, companion robots, and AI agents to map the line between humanlike design that serves users and humanlike design that serves engagement, and what obligations designers have once they know the difference.
