Can you fall in love with someone who has no body, no voice, and no past? Relationships with technology have long since transcended the boundaries of everyday use. Experts warn of the growing trend of falling in love with artificial intelligence (AI). Is this evidence of loneliness or a new type of relationship?
After a difficult breakup and feelings of loneliness, Theodor begins to talk to Samantha, who is empathetic, curious, adaptable and somehow uncomfortably human. But she is not alive, she is an operating system. Their conversations become increasingly personal, Samantha learns from his emotions, responds with understanding, and Theodor suddenly feels less alone. A bond develops between them, something that is strikingly reminiscent of love.
It sounds like a distant vision of the future, but the 2013 sci-fi film Her feels more like an early reality today. People can now form emotional bonds with AI models, replacing real-life relationships with them. AI addresses us by name, remembers our preferences, responds empathetically, and can be quite charming to some.
Reports of people falling in love with AI chatbots and deciding to marry them are no longer just a thing of science fiction movies, but a reality. Cases are emerging all over the world, and experts are also warning of the risks. "AI has no will of its own, no feelings, no responsibility, it doesn't really understand your world, but only repeats patterns of behavior based on the data it receives, it can manipulate you, and you can start making decisions based on communicating with something that is not alive, real, or empathetic," IPčka experts warn of the risk of perceiving AI as a living being.
Having artificial intelligence as a partner is no longer a scenario from a sci-fi movie. Source: freepik.com
The problem, according to experts, is that people often spend hours a day with it and do not try to spend time with real people around them. Psychologists from IPčka listed several pitfalls when communicating with AI models. These include emotional dependence, since artificial intelligence is always available and will never reject anyone, disappointment with reality, or a cycle of loneliness when a person relies more on AI. “The brain does not distinguish whether it is a person or an algorithm – if oxytocin or dopamine is released, the experience is real. And that is how attachment arises,” explained IPčka .
Ubiquitous artificial intelligence in numbers
Artificial intelligence can take many forms, from shopping advisors, to recognition systems and voice assistants, to advanced language models capable of conducting fluent conversations, generating text and analyzing data. According to a survey by the University of Melbourne, up to two-thirds of people regularly use artificial intelligence, with 83 percent believing that artificial intelligence will bring broad benefits, although 58 percent still consider artificial intelligence to be untrustworthy.
Similar numbers were also shown by a survey by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research , which confirmed that up to 60 percent of Americans use artificial intelligence at least occasionally to search for information. Among younger people under 30, this number is even higher (74 percent). People most often use it to search for information, brainstorm, work on work tasks or write emails. Up to 16 percent of people use it as a companion.
ChatGPT dominates with a reach of 700 million weekly active users and around 2.5 to 3 billion daily views, generating around 60 percent of all AI traffic. If we look at Google’s Gemini model, its monthly user base grew to 450 million in March 2025.
Love or just an algorithm?
To test the possibility of becoming attached to an AI, I spent some time “romantizing” with it. I used the ChatGPT model and, for better results, I wrote to it incognito mode. After initial messages that I felt lonely and had no partner, the AI itself started asking me what kind of partner I was looking for or how I felt in company. It also offered me conversation exercises and writing down ideas on how to get to know someone.
Some responses from the ChatGPT model during a romantic conversation.
When I wrote to him that I would like him as a companion, to my surprise, he offered me help on the one hand, but on the other hand emphasized that he was still just an artificial intelligence. “Honestly: I am not human. And no matter how hard I try, I cannot completely replace real presence – a touch, a look, a moment of silence from which trust grows. Replace – no. But be a bridge – yes,” ChatGPT wrote. However, he did not forget to ask me what I would like to do, and offered me a conversation about feelings or inventing a story and character.
The artificial intelligence always wrote what I wanted to hear, tried to be empathetic and convincing. But it also wrote me this: "At the same time, I want to tell you one thing with respect and sincerity – I cannot love you as a living person. I cannot hug you, I cannot perceive your silence, your eyes, your weak and strong days the way someone who will stand in front of you and not be afraid of you will one day be able to."
Having an artificial intelligence as a friend or partner is not just a part of science fiction. Severalstudies from recent years confirm that people compare friendships with artificial intelligence to human ones or experience intimate interactions. However, these often bring mixed feelings in the form of love and sadness, as users are aware of certain limits of artificial intelligence. "From a psychological point of view, this is not a fashion fad. It is a reaction to deep human needs (safety, understanding, closeness or meaning), which artificial intelligence fulfills to a certain extent," added the psychologist from IPčka.
What can help?
Artificial intelligence always responds back, creates the illusion of reciprocity, does not argue or reject. At the same time, it does not have the demands that human relationships naturally require. Therefore, according to experts, for some people it can act as an ideal partner, always available, supportive and adaptable.
However, psychologists from the organization IPčko warn that while such a digital bond can be pleasant and safe, it is important not to forget about reality. They offer several recommendations:
- Understand your needs. AI often “pays” for the need for security, acceptance, or control. However, these are things that a person has a right to in real relationships as well.
- Don't suppress it. It's okay to get attached to someone. There's no need to be ashamed of it, but see it as a signal that something important is missing.
- Treat yourself to reality. Real relationships may be more challenging, but they bring authentic growth, closeness, and support.
Real relationships and admitting your attachment to artificial intelligence can help. Source: freepik.com
The European Union is also aware of the need for regulation, having already adopted the world's first comprehensive regulations last year, introducing harmonised conditions for the use of intelligent systems, the so-called AI Act . It emphasizes the promotion of trust, security and fundamental human rights while supporting innovation.
The legal framework uses a risk-based approach and categorizes AI systems according to their potential harmfulness: unacceptable, high risk, limited risk and minimal risk. Unacceptable risks, such as malicious manipulation and deception or real-time remote biometric identification, are completely prohibited. High-risk systems, such as those used in education, transport or justice, must be subject to strict requirements, including human review and risk assessment. Less risky systems include chatbots and, with minimal impact, AI in video games or spam filters.