Are AI lovers replacing humans?

Americans are nervous that artificial intelligence will take away their jobs. But AI also seems poised to replace them as romantic partners. What would that mean for the future of love and romance?

"Companion apps" like Replika, Blush and Nomi have "been around for years," said Axios. But the business really took off in 2024, especially among women. Users are having "profound, committed relationships," said Rita Popova, the chief product officer of Replika and Blush. A recent survey by the Match online dating service found that 16% of singles — and a third of Gen Z respondents — have "engaged with AI as a romantic companion," said Mashable. That marks a "major shift in how people are seeking connection" in the digital age, said Axios.

'Companionship in unlikely places'

"People are falling in love with their chatbots," said Neil McArthur at The Conversation. There are "dozens of apps" with "millions of users" that offer "intimate companionship" to people who want a romantic partner. That might sound like a storyline from a dystopian movie, but human-AI relationships can be "beneficial and healthy." Naysayers worry that users "will surely give up their desire to find human partners." There are dangers to such relationships, but it is also true that "human relationships are not exactly risk-free."

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Falling in love with AI "isn't laughable, it's inevitable," said Alex Wilkins at New Scientist. People have always "found companionship in unlikely places," going back to the 1960s when users appeared to "form quick emotional attachments" with a rudimentary chatbot named ELIZA, which was designed mostly to "regurgitate a user's input back to them." Butw hile AI romances may be understandable, that does not mean they are "something good for society."

AI has "real promise as part of psychotherapy" and to teach social skills, said Maia Szalavitz at The New York Times. But companies that "sell simulated humans" make it possible for people to be "manipulated by the illusion of love." Some drugs, for example, can be "lifesaving when used therapeutically" yet also dangerous when promoted with "unfettered marketing." The same goes for AI companions. Regulations are needed to "prevent companies from exploiting vulnerable people."

'A mirror, not a replacement'

Elon Musk is "cashing in on the AI romance boom," said Parmy Olson at Bloomberg. His chatbot Grok last week added a new character, a "flirtatious girl with all the hallmarks of a manga character." The paradox: Musk has "publicly warned about artificial intelligence safety" but now has also launched an "erotic chatbot that both adults and children can access" with few obstacles. It is a "potentially lucrative business" for Musk's AI enterprise, which is "burning through $1 billion a month."

Intimacy with a chatbot can "feel real at times" but is "not always fulfilling," said Cathy Hackl, who "dated" four different "AI boyfriends," at Forbes. The chatbots she tested could be "sweet" at times, while other messages they sent were "steamy, and some were even unsettling." AI is ultimately a "mirror, not a replacement" for human lovers, Hackl concluded. "Humans are still messier" than the tech, but they are also "more magnetic."