Smartphones and AI linked to declining global fertility rates, report says
7 reported
A Vox article reports that global fertility rates have fallen below the replacement level of 2.1 births per woman as of 2023, with more than two-thirds of nations now below that threshold. The article states that while fertility decline has been ongoing for decades, the recent drop is driven by fewer people forming couples or having sex, rather than couples having fewer children. Some analysts, including journalist John Burn-Murdoch and social scientist Alice Evans, attribute this trend to mass smartphone adoption in the 2010s, which they say reduced in-person socializing and opportunities for romantic partnership. The article notes that since 2022, over 1 billion people have gained access to AI chatbots like Claude and ChatGPT, which offer emotional support and could further reduce incentives for real-world relationships. A 2025 study from OpenAI and MIT tracked 981 participants and found that those who spent more time with AI chatbots became more socially isolated over four weeks. The article emphasizes that these are single-source claims and that research on AI’s impact on socialization is limited.
What’s reported
Global fertility fell below the replacement rate of 2.1 births per woman in 2023.
More than two-thirds of all nations now have below-replacement fertility.
The recent fertility decline is attributed to fewer people forming couples or having sex, not just fewer children per couple.
The rise in singledom in the 2010s tracks closely with mass smartphone adoption, according to an analysis by Financial Times journalist John Burn-Murdoch.
Since 2022, over 1 billion people have gained access to AI chatbots like Claude and ChatGPT.
A 2025 study from OpenAI and MIT found that participants who spent more time with AI chatbots became more socially isolated over four weeks.
The article states that correlation does not equal causation and that research into AI’s impacts on socialization is limited.
Key figures
John Burn-Murdoch, journalist at the Financial Times
Alice Evans, social scientist
Brad Wilcox, senior fellow at the Institute for Family Studies
Sources: vox.com
