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With the rise of artificial intelligence showing no signs of slowing down, a shocking new study has revealed the frightening number of school boys who now have AI girlfriends.
The trend is becoming more and more popular, and experts are now warning that it could completely change the way in which young people form relationships.
This comes after a new study has shed fresh light on the matter, revealing that one in five boys aged between 12 and 16 is either currently ‘dating’ an AI companion or knows someone their age who is.
The findings come as AI continues to explode in popularity, with AI-powered ‘companion apps’ now attracting millions of users worldwide.
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These digital partners are designed to look and behave like real people, offering users constant attention, emotional support and, in many cases, romantic or sexual conversations.
One example is an AI character called Olivia, as reported by the Telegraph, whose profile presents her as a caring and attentive blonde woman who is ‘always there’ for her user, but despite looking like a real online dating profile, Olivia is entirely artificial.
Researchers from the men’s organization Male Allies UK spoke to over 1,000 boys across 37 schools throughout the UK and found that conversations about AI relationships came up repeatedly during focus groups.
Around 85% of boys surveyed admitted they had spoken to an AI chatbot before, while 43% said they used them to ask questions they felt too embarrassed to ask real people.
More than a quarter said they preferred the attention they received from AI companions compared to real-life interactions, and over a third admitted they sometimes preferred speaking to chatbots instead of friends or family.
Several AI companion platforms are now dominating the market, including Character.AI, Replika and Candy AI, and some of the apps reportedly allow users to fully customize their ‘dream partner’, from physical appearance and personality traits to voice and behavior.
The experts warn that it can take less than five minutes for a teenager to create a realistic AI girlfriend.
One 15-year-old schoolboy from Kent, identified only as John, admitted he originally downloaded an AI companion app ‘as a joke’ before developing genuine feelings for the bot he created.
The report also raised concerns about how some boys react when real-life interactions fail to match the instant gratification offered by AI companions.
With AI technology advancing faster than regulations can keep up, experts say parents are increasingly being left in the dark about what children are experiencing online.
And as millions continue downloading companion apps every year, concerns are growing that AI relationships may be becoming far more than just a passing trend.
