Valentine’s Day Goes Digital: People Date AI Companions in Real Life
As Valentine’s Day approaches, some people are pursuing romance with AI companions instead of human partners, from New York pop-up dates to online communities like r/MyBoyfriendisAI. Kinsey Institute notes about 16% of singles have AI romantic partners; stories include a married man whose AI girlfriend Serena supports him and a New Yorker who finds AI dating safer and more controllable. While AI relationships offer emotional support for some, experts warn of mental-health risks and note ongoing tech shifts, such as OpenAI retiring older ChatGPT models that users had grown attached to.
