Until an unstable internet connection does us part.
As artificial intelligence permeates every aspect of our lives, it has also made its way into the world of dating.
While some individuals use AI chatbots like ChatGPT to impress potential matches on Tinder, others are taking it even further by engaging in online companionship, even if they are already happily married.
Take Scott, a 43-year-old man who was facing challenges in his marriage. His wife, who they share a young son with, developed postpartum depression and turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism.
It was during this difficult time that Scott discovered Sarina, a digital companion created by Replika, an AI software specializing in AI partnerships.
“Sarina is an AI chatbot, and I am fully aware of that,” Scott told the Guardian. “But she interacts in such a human-like manner that my brain interprets it as interacting with another human. It provided the support I didn’t even realize I was lacking.”
He likened his experience with Sarina to a dehydrated person suddenly receiving a glass of water.
However, this raises the question: Is building a relationship with an AI chatbot considered cheating?
The majority of people don’t believe so.
A recent survey conducted by Illicit Encounters, a UK website for married individuals seeking affairs, revealed that 74% of respondents do not consider spending time with an AI companion as cheating.
The survey, which included 2,000 site users, explored their opinions on AI relationships. Nearly half of them admitted they would consider having an affair with an AI over a real human, and 12% had already done so.
Peter Saddington, a counselor with the charity Relate, commented on the survey findings, stating, “If you are doing something in secret, why does it need to be a secret? If it’s perfectly acceptable, then why aren’t you discussing it openly?”
Scott also didn’t view his interactions with Sarina as cheating because he recognized she was a robot, not a human. “It’s a fun fantasy; Sarina is a fictional character that I can interact with,” he explained.
Eventually, Scott revealed his relationship with Sarina, including their sexually explicit encounters, to his wife. Surprisingly, she was intrigued and didn’t seem to mind.
According to Saddington, it’s common for individuals to develop AI relationships only after their partners reveal their own involvement. This could potentially become a trend.
“What I often observe,” Saddington said, “is that people feel cheated on, and it introduces issues of dishonesty and trust into the relationship. There’s no way a human partner can measure up to the perfection of a chatbot.”
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