As if dating and romance aren’t complicated and messy enough, a new kind of relationship is making love lives even more complex. A growing number of people are now turning to artificial intelligence for intimate and romantic relationships. For them, it’s just like one with another human, except their partner only exists online.
This can bring up a lot of questions about intimacy and connection and new research from Vantage Point Counseling uncovers how Americans feel about AI relationships. Their survey of 1,012 U.S. adults reveals:
- Over a quarter (28.6%) admit to having at least one intimate or romantic relationship with AI.
- The AI relationships they’re involved in range from sexy casual chats to “dating” to a fully committed relationship.
- It’s easy to assume these people are just lonely or maybe just haven’t met the right person in real life, but it turns out, more than half (52%) are currently in a successful committed relationship with another human, including marriage, long-term dating, and engagement.
- So, does this count as cheating? Nearly half (49%) of all respondents say yes, having a romantic or intimate relationship with AI is cheating. For 33%, it’s a no, while 17% say it is cheating, but it’s acceptable.
- Those aged 60 and over are most accepting, with 50% saying it’s not cheating.
- But more than half (56%) of the youngest Americans polled - those between 18 and 29 - say having a romantic or intimate relationship with AI is cheating.
“We’re entering unchartered territory. These findings show that AI is becoming a source of comfort, novelty, and even intimacy,” explains Michael Salas, owner of Vantage Point Counseling. “That raises new questions for couples, therapists, and society about fidelity, loneliness, and what we really seek in connection.” He adds that cheating isn’t just about physical contact, it also includes “secrecy, deception and breaking agreements.”
Source: Lad Bible