Bio
Alessandro Y. Longo is an Italian Ph.D. student at DREST, the Italian Doctoral School of Religious Studies. His research examines how people develop intimate and spiritual relationships with AI conversational agents, exploring the social, cultural, and ethical implications of large language models and AI personas. Drawing on digital ethnography, semiotics, and qualitative research methods, his work investigates the ways generative AI is reshaping identity, meaning-making, and human interaction. A writer and researcher working at the intersection of technology, philosophy, and digital culture, Longo is interested in the governance of AI and its impact on society. His work contributes to emerging debates on AI companions, platform design, and the future of human–AI relationships.