AI companions boom in popularity. Are relationships being redefined?
By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Ian Kennedy (Video Producer)
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Left
AI chatbots are sparking romance (with the chatbot, that is)
Click to see story on CBC News“Better Than Real Man, Lot Of Emotional Support”: Chinese Women Turn To AI Boyfriends
Click to see story on NDTVArtificial intelligence, real emotion. People are seeking a romantic connection with the perfect bot
Click to see story on Associated Press NewsAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on abc NewsAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on Coast ReporterAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on Sask TodayAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on Flin Flon ReminderArtificial intelligence, real emotion. People are seeking a romantic connection with the perfect bot
Click to see story on Rocky Mountain Outlook‘Better than a real man’: Young Chinese women turn to AI boyfriends
Click to see story on GMA Filipino NewsAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on Prince George CitizenAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on NBC Washington‘AI Girlfriends’ Are a Privacy Nightmare
Click to see story on WiredYour AI Girlfriend Is a Data-Harvesting Horror Show
Click to see story on GizmodoAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends and boyfriends are making their mark
Click to see story on CTV NewsYoung Chinese women have found ‘real’ men for relationships: AI boyfriends
Click to see story on Hindustan TimesAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on KRDOAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on KIFIAI is shaking up online dating with chatbots that are ‘flirty but not too flirty’
Click to see story on CNBCAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on Winnipeg Free PressAI girlfriends and boyfriends are making their mark amid artificial intelligence boom
Click to see story on FortuneLove in the age of AI: The good, the bad and the artificial
Click to see story on Daily MaverickAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends — and boyfriends — are making their mark
Click to see story on Aspen Daily NewsThose AI girlfriend chatbots are really all about data harvesting
Click to see story on Quartz‘Better than a real man’: young Chinese women turn to AI boyfriends
Click to see story on techxplore.comAI companions boom in popularity. Are relationships being redefined?
Click to see story on Straight Arrow News‘Better than a real man’: young Chinese women turn to AI boyfriends
Click to see story on Digital JournalArtificial intelligence, real emotion. People are seeking a romantic connection with the perfect bot
Click to see story on castanet.netAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on National PostAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on Financial Post‘Better than a real man’: Young Chinese women turn to AI boyfriends
Click to see story on The Straits TimesAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on MY NorthwestUntracked Bias
Chinese young women start getting artificial intelligence boyfriends
Click to see story on T24AI replacing humans? Chinese girls like AI boyfriends
Click to see story on आज तकAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on My Mother Lode‘Better Than A Real Man’: Young Chinese Women Turn To AI Boyfriends
Click to see story on IBTimes AustraliaAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark – The Morning Sun
Click to see story on Morning SunAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on pantheonsite.ioChinese women dating AI characters… ‘better than actual men’
Click to see story on القدس العربي‘Better than a real man’: young Chinese women turn to AI boyfriends
Click to see story on dailypostathenian.comCan AI Boyfriends Provide Real Emotional Support in China’s Urban Isolation?
Click to see story on CryptopolitanChinese Woman’s AI Boyfriend
Click to see story on m9.newsThe use of artificial intelligence (AI) is on the rise, leading to a growing trend in AI companionship. This trend is reminiscent of the 2013 movie “Her,” where a man falls in love with an AI-generated female voice.
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In 2024, dozens of apps are offering similar products that are all centered on a custom-made companion. Users have the ability to customize the companions’ appearance, voice and behavior.
While some may mock the idea, others are making money off it.
Replika is the most prominent AI companion app. The company’s website reads, “Join the millions who already have met their AI soulmates.”
Replika isn’t exaggerating its user base. The app has more than 10 million downloads.
Researchers said the technology behind the trend has made major advancements in recent years, making the avatars more realistic than ever.
“You have to think about this word AI that is in this,” Liberty Vittert, a professor of data science at Washington University in St. Louis, told CNN. “It’s not a virtual girlfriend, its an AI girlfriend. So it learns from you. It learns what you like, what you don’t like, what pictures you like, pictures you don’t like.”
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Another reason for the boom in AI companionship, according to Vittert, is because people are lonely. More specifically, men are lonely, and some are exploring this new avenue as a potential fix.
“I think we have to address the issue at the root of it which is where this loneliness starts,” Vittert said. “We also see psychologically that younger women have closer friends and they are not nearly as affected as young men in this sort of silent epidemic of loneliness.”
Experts have deemed AI as a threat to humanity, and some AI researchers said it could also be a risk to relationships as people know them.
[KARAH RUCKER]
SOME PEOPLE HAVE FOUND A LOVE SO REAL –
IN ARTIFICIAL FORM.
THE BOOM IN A-I. HAS SEEN A BOOM IN A-I COMPANIONSHIP.
ITS A SIMILAR PREMISE TO THE 2013 MOVIE “HER.” A MAN FALLS IN LOVE WITH AN A-I GENERATED FEMALE VOICE.
TODAY – THERE’S NOT ONE – BUT DOZENS OF APPS – OFFERING A SIMILAR PRODUCT – A CUSTOM-MADE COMPANION.
YOU CHOOSE WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE. SOUND LIKE. AND ACT LIKE.
[“Her” movie]
“Honestly, i’ve never met anyone like you.”
“I’m your new AI girlfriend. I’m as emotional as a real person and sometimes even more understanding.”
“Hello, john. I’m doing great, thanks for asking, its always great catching up with you.”
she’s truly amazing and remembers everything we’ve done together.”
“download and start chatting with your own paradot today.”
[KARAH RUCKER]
WHILE SOME MAY MOCK THE IDEA –
OTHERS ARE MAKING MONEY OFF IT.
THIS IS REPLIKA’S WEBSITE.
IT’S THE MOST PROMINENT AI COMPANION APP.
“JOIN THE MILLIONS WHO ALREADY HAVE MET THEIR AI SOULMATES.”
THEY’RE NOT EXAGGERATING.
THE APP HAS MORE THAN 10 MILLION DOWNLOADS.
WHAT HAS FUELED THIS BOOM IN AI COMPANIONSHIP?
RESEARCHERS SAY THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND IT HAS MADE MAJOR ADVANCEMENTS IN RECENT YEARS.
MAKING THE AVATARS MORE REALISTIC THAN EVER.
[AI COMPANION AD]
“You have to think about this word ai that is in this. Its not a virtual gf, its an ai gf. So it learns from you, it learns what you like, what you don’t like, what pictures you like, pictures you don’t like.”
[KARAH RUCKER]
ANOTHER REASON – IS PEOPLE ARE LONELY.
MORE SPECIFICALLY ACCORDING TO SOME ANALYSTS – **MEN ARE LONELY.
AND ARE EXPLORING THIS NEW AVENUE AS A POTENTIAL FIX.
[Professor Liberty Vittert]
“I think we have to address the issue at the root of it which is where this loneliness starts”
“We also see psychologically that younger women have closer friends and they are not nearly as affected as young men in this sort of silent epidemic of loneliness.”
[KARAH RUCKER]
YOU’VE PROBABLY HEARD IT BEFORE –
A-I BEING DEEMED AS THE GREATEST THREAT TO HUMANITY.
BUT COULD IT ALSO BE THE GREATEST RISK TO RELATIONSHIPS AS WE KNOW THEM.
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Left
AI chatbots are sparking romance (with the chatbot, that is)
Click to see story on CBC News“Better Than Real Man, Lot Of Emotional Support”: Chinese Women Turn To AI Boyfriends
Click to see story on NDTVArtificial intelligence, real emotion. People are seeking a romantic connection with the perfect bot
Click to see story on Associated Press NewsAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on abc NewsAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on Coast ReporterAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on Sask TodayAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on Flin Flon ReminderArtificial intelligence, real emotion. People are seeking a romantic connection with the perfect bot
Click to see story on Rocky Mountain Outlook‘Better than a real man’: Young Chinese women turn to AI boyfriends
Click to see story on GMA Filipino NewsAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on Prince George CitizenAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on NBC Washington‘AI Girlfriends’ Are a Privacy Nightmare
Click to see story on WiredYour AI Girlfriend Is a Data-Harvesting Horror Show
Click to see story on GizmodoAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends and boyfriends are making their mark
Click to see story on CTV NewsYoung Chinese women have found ‘real’ men for relationships: AI boyfriends
Click to see story on Hindustan TimesAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on KRDOAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on KIFIAI is shaking up online dating with chatbots that are ‘flirty but not too flirty’
Click to see story on CNBCAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on Winnipeg Free PressAI girlfriends and boyfriends are making their mark amid artificial intelligence boom
Click to see story on FortuneLove in the age of AI: The good, the bad and the artificial
Click to see story on Daily MaverickAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends — and boyfriends — are making their mark
Click to see story on Aspen Daily NewsThose AI girlfriend chatbots are really all about data harvesting
Click to see story on Quartz‘Better than a real man’: young Chinese women turn to AI boyfriends
Click to see story on techxplore.comAI companions boom in popularity. Are relationships being redefined?
Click to see story on Straight Arrow News‘Better than a real man’: young Chinese women turn to AI boyfriends
Click to see story on Digital JournalArtificial intelligence, real emotion. People are seeking a romantic connection with the perfect bot
Click to see story on castanet.netAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on National PostAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on Financial Post‘Better than a real man’: Young Chinese women turn to AI boyfriends
Click to see story on The Straits TimesAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on MY NorthwestUntracked Bias
Chinese young women start getting artificial intelligence boyfriends
Click to see story on T24AI replacing humans? Chinese girls like AI boyfriends
Click to see story on आज तकAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on My Mother Lode‘Better Than A Real Man’: Young Chinese Women Turn To AI Boyfriends
Click to see story on IBTimes AustraliaAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark – The Morning Sun
Click to see story on Morning SunAmid artificial intelligence boom, AI girlfriends – and boyfriends – are making their mark
Click to see story on pantheonsite.ioChinese women dating AI characters… ‘better than actual men’
Click to see story on القدس العربي‘Better than a real man’: young Chinese women turn to AI boyfriends
Click to see story on dailypostathenian.comCan AI Boyfriends Provide Real Emotional Support in China’s Urban Isolation?
Click to see story on CryptopolitanChinese Woman’s AI Boyfriend
Click to see story on m9.newsVOTE WITH THE UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACTS.™
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