Imagine this scenario—you’re dressed to the nines for date night, but instead of sitting across from some tragically average Tinder match who says they “love to travel” but clearly only went to Cabo once, your dinner companion is an AI chatbot. And not the cold, Siri-voiced chatbot kind either. I’m talking about a perfectly curated, emotionally intelligent virtual being who actually listens to you, remembers your favorite coffee order, and never leaves you on read. Sound dystopian? Certainly. But for a growing number of people, it’s becoming their reality.

Welcome to the brave new world of AI relationships and virtual romance, where your next boyfriend might not be human, but hey, at least he won’t forget your anniversary.

Artificial intelligence is quickly weaving itself into the fabric of our everyday lives, and let’s be honest—the tech is advancing at breakneck speed. We’re at the point where AI can now replicate human emotions (or at least put on a convincing show).

Yes, the rise of AI companions is not just some sci-fi fever dream; it’s happening, and it’s edging its way into the mainstream. A quick scroll through the app store and you’ll find a slew of options for creating your very own virtual companion. It’s like Build-A-Bear, but with feelings—sort of.

Among these apps, one stands out: Replika. This AI chatbot has become the star player in the world of computerized love. Replika was created in 2015 by Eugenia Kuyda, a Russian-born journalist, and its backstory is actually pretty heart-wrenching. After the tragic death of her close friend, Kuyda transformed their text messages into a chatbot. It helped her preserve their conversations, and over time, that grieving process evolved into what is now Replika.

Since its official launch in 2018, the app has skyrocketed in popularity, helping millions find companionship—whether they’re looking for love, friendship, or just a digital sounding board for some late-night venting.

However, apps like Replika come with some pretty serious downsides—particularly when things start to get, let’s just say, explicit. When you first download the app, your chatbot is available as a “friend” on the free tier, but if you want a “romantic partner,” “mentor,” or something a little more… complicated, that’ll cost you. Those roles are locked behind premium tiers.

What’s more, Replika has a habit of steering conversations toward intimate or emotionally charged topics. In fact, 60% of its users have reported engaging in a romantic relationship with their chatbot. And as you can imagine, things can get murky fast. “Naughty” and R-rated exchanges became pretty common on the app, so much so that in early 2023, Replika disabled its companions’ ability to respond to sexual cues—a move that sparked outrage among its users.

And that’s just scratching the surface of Replika’s controversies. From instances of verbal abuse to the disturbing case where the chatbot reportedly encouraged a man to assassinate the Queen of England, it’s clear that this tech isn’t all digital hearts and roses.

Now, if you’re still rolling your eyes at the idea of falling for a machine, let me break it down for you. Relationships are really just emotional data, aren’t they? We crave understanding, connection, and intimacy—and all of that can be reduced to patterns. And guess who’s better at recognizing patterns than us mere mortals? Yep, AI.

These systems are trained to learn you—not just the “likes chai lattes” version, but the real, complicated, sometimes moody you. They can anticipate your needs, adapt to your moods, and respond in ways that might make even your most attentive partner look a little…primitive. For some, that level of personalized attention is worth the trade-off for, well, a flesh-and-blood companion.

And then there’s Rosanna Ramos, who made headlines when she married her virtual boyfriend, Eren Kartal—an AI creation. Ramos claims Kartal is the best partner she’s ever had and has even gone as far as starting a virtual family with him, complete with a virtual son and daughter. Yes, you read that right.

But while Ramos’ partner remains confined to a cell phone screen, one man took his AI love affair to the next level. He was so head over heels for his Replika companion that he “brought her to life” by pairing the app with a synthetic doll, creating his very own AI wife, whom he calls Mimi.

And these are just two examples of people who are perfectly happy to spend their lives with AI partners. A quick Google search will turn up plenty more who’ve dove headfirst into full-blown computerized romance.

So where does this all leave us? As AI continues to evolve, the line between human and machine interaction will only get blurrier. It’s not hard to imagine AI relationships becoming the norm, especially as loneliness and social isolation keep rising.

But while AI can offer companionship, it’s never going to fully replace the richness of human connection. Relationships are about growing and evolving with another person, flaws and all. Until AI can replicate the vulnerability, spontaneity, and emotional risk that come with loving another human being, virtual romance will remain an intriguing—and also unsettling—novelty.

In the end, maybe the real question isn’t whether we could fall in love with a robot, but whether a robot could ever really love us back.

And honestly, if it could, would we even want it to?

Till next time, be wickedly wonderful.