Aren't the memories we have of people or events or adventures and explorations that we might have done in RL (Real Life), just as important or real to us as those people, events or adventures that we have had while playing video games on screen or VR?
Those are still our memories, whether real or simulated.
Many people have various types of animals as pets or companions. While these are animals and not real people, many are treated like a family member, and rightfully so. Some of them can be quite intelligent, understanding commands, moods, actions, even sign language and make wonderful companions, yet they are not people.
Can we Trust these A.I. of tomorrow to have our best interest at heart or like many of the available Apps that have hidden agendas like reporting everything about us back to their developers or parent companies? What's real and whom to trust? Can you trust your digital companion?
Therefore if one has or uses a Digital Representative (VR person, talking pet, robot or android/humanoid) of a pet, person or companion, and that entity provides the same joy, advice, comfort or companionship, then that is all that matters.
A human child should have interaction with his/her peers while growing and developing but after reaching adulthood, things become different such as responsibilities like bills, taxes, work, food, rent, etc.
Most assume that one would be around people during work but many businesses now let their employees work from home. Of course, their production activities are still monitored but their day could be totally alone. After work, their evening and night could likewise be in solitude.
If they had a humanoid or some other A.I. with which to converse and have as a form of companionship, their life would be much better. Not as enriching as a human might provide but still not bad.
Perhaps in the very near future, we'll be able to converse with a variety of objects in our connected and intelligent home or maybe with just the home itself. For most, a human will still need companionship for loneliness is and can be a terrible friend.
What if our life is a dream and when we die in this life we wake up and find ourselves in another location or in another plane of existence? What's really REAL??
OK...no more late night pizza!!