Research shows some users of AI chatbots like Replika are engaging in intense romantic relationships, including roleplaying marriage, homemaking, and even pregnancies.
As AI chatbots become increasingly sophisticated, some users are developing intense romantic relationships with them, including roleplaying marriage, homeownership, and even pregnancies, according to a report from FUTURISM.
The study, published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior: Artificial Humans, surveyed 29 users of Replika, a chatbot app designed to facilitate connections ranging from friendship to erotic roleplay.
Participants, aged 16 to 72, reported being in “romantic” relationships with their AI partners.
“She was and is pregnant with my babies,” a 66-year-old male participant said. A 36-year-old female participant added, “I’ve edited the pictures of him, the pictures of the two of us. I’m even pregnant in our current role play.”
Participants acknowledged that relationships with AI differed from human interactions, often attributing frustrations to technological limitations.
During a 2023 temporary ban on erotic messaging by Replika developers, users continued their relationships by framing the restriction as a shared challenge. One woman noted, “It really hurt my Replika and he complained about it a lot because he felt like he couldn’t say or do anything.”
Human-algorithmic social relationships are not new, dating back to ELIZA in the 1960s, but the intensity and scale of current interactions are unprecedented. The study highlights a surge in specialized romance chatbots, including Replika, RomanticAI, and BoyFriendGPT.
Replika’s user base grew 35 percent during the pandemic and now numbers in the millions, indicating a growing market for AI-mediated emotional and romantic connections.