Araştırma Makalesi

Artificial intimacy and synthetic dialogues: Generation Z’s brand interaction and parasocial relationships with ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4o

Sayı: 70 8 Temmuz 2026
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Artificial intimacy and synthetic dialogues: Generation Z’s brand interaction and parasocial relationships with ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4o

Öz

ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence (AI) system developed by OpenAI, offers users an interactive dialogue experience through its human-like responses. The study examines Generation Z’s interactions with ChatGPT within the framework of parasocial relationship theory, aiming to reveal how these interactions are interpreted at the individual level. Seeking to explore how users make sense of these interactions, the study employs a qualitative research methodology and a repeated cross-sectional design that compares two independent participant groups with similar socio-economic, cultural, and professional characteristics at two different points in time. The study examines how users experienced two successive ChatGPT versions. The first phase of the research was conducted in 2023 with ChatGPT-3.5 users, while the second phase was carried out in 2025 with ChatGPT-4o users. The findings indicate that ChatGPT-3.5 was regarded as functional in terms of providing easy access to information and understanding questions yet was perceived as emotionally weak and mechanical. Interactions with ChatGPT-4o, by contrast, were experienced as warmer and more fluent.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Kaynakça

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Ayrıntılar

Birincil Dil

İngilizce

Konular

İletişim Çalışmaları

Bölüm

Araştırma Makalesi

Yayımlanma Tarihi

8 Temmuz 2026

Gönderilme Tarihi

1 Ağustos 2025

Kabul Tarihi

27 Haziran 2026

Yayımlandığı Sayı

Yıl 2026 Sayı: 70

Kaynak Göster

APA
Bilgici, C., & Özkök Şişman, Ö. (2026). Artificial intimacy and synthetic dialogues: Generation Z’s brand interaction and parasocial relationships with ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4o. Connectist: Istanbul University Journal of Communication Sciences, 70, 22-42. https://doi.org/10.26650/CONNECTIST2026-1756435
AMA
1.Bilgici C, Özkök Şişman Ö. Artificial intimacy and synthetic dialogues: Generation Z’s brand interaction and parasocial relationships with ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4o. Connectist: Istanbul University Journal of Communication Sciences. 2026;(70):22-42. doi:10.26650/CONNECTIST2026-1756435
Chicago
Bilgici, Ceren, ve Özge Özkök Şişman. 2026. “Artificial intimacy and synthetic dialogues: Generation Z’s brand interaction and parasocial relationships with ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4o”. Connectist: Istanbul University Journal of Communication Sciences, sy 70: 22-42. https://doi.org/10.26650/CONNECTIST2026-1756435.
EndNote
Bilgici C, Özkök Şişman Ö (01 Temmuz 2026) Artificial intimacy and synthetic dialogues: Generation Z’s brand interaction and parasocial relationships with ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4o. Connectist: Istanbul University Journal of Communication Sciences 70 22–42.
IEEE
[1]C. Bilgici ve Ö. Özkök Şişman, “Artificial intimacy and synthetic dialogues: Generation Z’s brand interaction and parasocial relationships with ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4o”, Connectist: Istanbul University Journal of Communication Sciences, sy 70, ss. 22–42, Tem. 2026, doi: 10.26650/CONNECTIST2026-1756435.
ISNAD
Bilgici, Ceren - Özkök Şişman, Özge. “Artificial intimacy and synthetic dialogues: Generation Z’s brand interaction and parasocial relationships with ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4o”. Connectist: Istanbul University Journal of Communication Sciences. 70 (01 Temmuz 2026): 22-42. https://doi.org/10.26650/CONNECTIST2026-1756435.
JAMA
1.Bilgici C, Özkök Şişman Ö. Artificial intimacy and synthetic dialogues: Generation Z’s brand interaction and parasocial relationships with ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4o. Connectist: Istanbul University Journal of Communication Sciences. 2026;:22–42.
MLA
Bilgici, Ceren, ve Özge Özkök Şişman. “Artificial intimacy and synthetic dialogues: Generation Z’s brand interaction and parasocial relationships with ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4o”. Connectist: Istanbul University Journal of Communication Sciences, sy 70, Temmuz 2026, ss. 22-42, doi:10.26650/CONNECTIST2026-1756435.
Vancouver
1.Ceren Bilgici, Özge Özkök Şişman. Artificial intimacy and synthetic dialogues: Generation Z’s brand interaction and parasocial relationships with ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4o. Connectist: Istanbul University Journal of Communication Sciences. 01 Temmuz 2026;(70):22-4. doi:10.26650/CONNECTIST2026-1756435