Word of the Year 2025

This week the Cambridge Dictionary announced its word of the year: parasocial. It is a relatively new addition to the dictionary whose lookups have spiked. Having spread in academic contexts, it was registered in the dictionary in 2023 as an adjective meaning “involving or relating to a connection that someone feels between themselves and a famous person they do not know, a character in a book, film, TV series, etc., or an artificial intelligence.” Apparently, it was coined in 1956 when Chicago sociologists drew a comparison between TV viewers’ relationships with screen characters and those with family and friends. Studies have emerged since then on parasocial relationships (PSRs) and parasocial interactions (PSIs), demonstrating their impact in a multitude of domains, including education, as they permeate various platforms in different manifestations. For example, they could be embodied in the form of video, voice only, or text; and they could involve real celebrities or fake AI figures or friends. The distinguishing feature of a parasocial relationship is that it is, in a sense, one-sided.

A scientific report by Lotun et.al. (2024) indicates that people frequently form parasocial relationships with “targets that cannot return the sentiment”. Entitled “People Perceive Parasocial Relationships to be Effective at Fulfilling Emotional Needs”, the report concludes that rather than being a resort for the socially isolated, PSRs are a valuable part of people’s normal social lives; in addition, “These PSRs may never be able to physically reach out and offer people care and support, but that does not prevent them from cheering people up when they are sad, or amplifying people’s moments of happiness.”

My own students have started using bots as tutors for difficult subjects such as mathematics, illustrating how AI is now capable of some types of “support”, including academic guidance. However, despite the speed and efficiency of the bots, my students have found their explanations rather superficial compared with those of human tutors. It is good to see that university students are critical of the bots rather than revering them as if they were a new god taking over their lives. While they continue to use them, they see the optimal tutorial support as being hybrid, including both human and AI contributions. In any case, Colin McIntosh of the Cambridge Dictionary points out that “Parasocial captures the 2025 zeitgeist. It's a great example of how language changes.” 

Copilot also lists parasocial as one of the top three terms reflecting the essence of the year, the other two being eco-minimalism and Gen AI. Eco-minimalism refers to a lifestyle combining simplicity with environmental awareness. It promotes “quiet luxury” and sustainability. On the other hand, Generative Artificial Intelligence refers to advanced AI systems that produce text, images, audio and video. They are empowering education and transforming the way people interact with technology.

All in all, sophistication is increasingly judged by processes rather than possessions (or outcomes in some cases). While luxury items and designer goods still exist, their cultural significance is fading in a digital era where owning things can be less important than managing systems. Examples of processes as markers of sophistication include knowing how to use AI and collaboration tools and implementing sustainable living practices. Ironically though, AI itself consumes tremendous amounts of energy, but that is beyond the scope of this blog post.