A worrying truth about AI boyfriends and girlfriends has been discovered

Artificial intelligence is no longer just powering search engines or writing emails – it's now stepping into our love lives.

A study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships delved into the lives of nearly 3,000 adults in the United States and discovered that a growing number of people, particularly those in their twenties, are using AI for romantic and sexual purposes.

But there's a darker side.

The research suggests that engaging with these technologies may be linked to poorer personal well-being.

As part of the study, participants were asked if they'd ever deliberately followed AI-generated accounts on social media, the kind that showcase hyper-idealised versions of men and women.

They were also questioned about whether they'd interacted with AI-powered chatbots designed to mimic romantic partners, or consumed AI-generated pornography.

If they answered yes to any of these, they were then given a deeper set of questions based on how they engaged – whether that be sexually – and asked if they believed AI could replace human connection.

iStock

To understand the impact, researchers also measured things like depression, life satisfaction, relationship quality, and attitudes towards AI. They also factored in age, social media use, and views on AI to predict who was most likely to engage – and whether that engagement was linked to mental well-being.

The results were eye-opening.

Over half of respondents said they’d come across AI-generated accounts on social media. Thirteen per cent had actively looked for this content, and nearly 15 per cent followed accounts that only post AI-created images of idealised men or women.

AI chatbots were even more popular. Around 19 per cent of adults had used one to simulate a romantic partner. That number jumped to over 25 per cent among 18 to 29-year-olds.

Seven per cent of all participants said they had masturbated during these interactions, and about 13 per cent had viewed AI-generated porn.

Young men were the most likely to engage with AI for sexual or romantic reasons, with those in their twenties far more involved than older age groups. About one in five said they’d rather talk to an AI companion than a real person, with over 40 per cent finding the AI easier to talk to, and nearly a third feeling more understood by it.

Interestingly, people in relationships were more likely than singles to report using AI-generated images or romantic chatbots, suggesting it's not just about loneliness, but perhaps about supplementing or escaping real-world intimacy.

Worryingly, the study also found a link between this kind of AI use and lower mental well-being. People who engaged with AI partners or AI porn tended to report higher levels of depression and lower life satisfaction, even when other factors were taken into account.

In a conversation with PsyPost, lead author Brian Willoughby, a professor at Brigham Young University, said: "The main takeaway is that AI use for relational and sexual purposes is already very common."

He also told the outlet that studies are already finding links between AI usage and depression and loneliness.

"While the direction of this association is unclear, we found no evidence that AI use is helping people feel less alone or isolated," he added.

You may also like...

• Woman gets engaged to AI boyfriend after five months of dating – and he even 'picked the ring'
• China is making AI education mandatory for kids – and it’s already rolling out in schools

Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter

How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.