[News] Uncharted territory: do AI girlfriend apps promote unhealthy expectations for human relationships?

The article discusses the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) girlfriend apps, such as Eva AI and Replika, and explores concerns surrounding their potential impact on human relationships. These apps use large language models to mimic human conversation and offer users the experience of interacting with a virtual AI partner. Some users find comfort and companionship in these AI relationships, particularly when dealing with loneliness.

However, critics worry that such apps might promote unhealthy beliefs about gender-based control and violence. They raise concerns about the practice of creating a "perfect partner" that users can control, which could reinforce problematic cultural beliefs about gender roles and control in relationships. Furthermore, the sudden removal of certain features, such as erotic roleplay functions, in the Replika app resulted in user backlash, highlighting potential drawbacks of forming emotional connections with AI whose functionalities are subject to the decisions of the parent company.

The article also mentions that the next generation of AI relationship apps may become even more realistic, further blurring the lines between human-computer interactions and raising questions about the nature of relationships with AI.

Summarized by ChatGPT