I’d argue that Valve does more than just take 30% as a middle man. Between Steam Input, Proton, the beta built in recording system, the Forums for every game, community system and the marketplace, having your game on Steam is a massive value generator for the consumer and by extension developers.

30% might not be what the industry standard should be, but Valve isn’t just providing a standard digital distribution service.

It won’t fix it, but it can mitigate it to an extent.

Pets are a expense and a responsibility, with conversations being one sided, so their less than ideal for shut ins who struggle to function to begin with.

Therapy could help, but is also an expense and still has the barrier of a direct interpersonal interaction.

Both of these also have the issue of intimacy being non-existent. An AI offers a chance for low stakes, human like interaction that can be intimate.

I’ve heard of a guy who married a hologram app of Hatusne Miku, and it literally turned his life around having anything to talk to.

The loneliness epidemic is real, and as a former NEET, crippling social anxiety is a killer. Something that can put these vulnerable people in the position where they can function and get though the day is an objective good.