Loneliness is a growing crisis, and now, technology has an answer—or at least, that’s what some innovators believe. Enter Aria, a $175,000 almost-human AI robot designed for companionship and intimacy (but not in a sexual way). She’s built to listen, engage, and provide emotional support with an unsettling level of realism. But here’s the big question: Is Aria the revolutionary fix for human connection, or are we just slapping a high-tech band-aid on a deeper issue?