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Original poster

AI "relationships"

39 replies

SunshineTrumpet · 11/11/2026 13:54

If you were in a committed relationship with someone and you discovered they had an app that generated an AI girlfriend or boyfriend, would you regard that as cheating?
It seems less bad than say messaging people on dating sites because there's no human at the other end of the conversation / pictures aren't real etc and it could never turn into anything more than the fantasy it is. Nobody is getting exploited, as would be the case with sex workers. So from that perspective, it's no different than reading erotic fiction, right?
But at the same time, the partner is investing emotional energy and getting kicks from the things the AI says to them - so from the point of view of their partner, is it reasonable to feel that they are cheating?
What do you think? Is it worth getting upset about?

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SunshineTrumpet · Today 13:22

Mummadeze · Today 10:52

… off to look up how to do this! It sounds good for people like me who are straight but have been put off men for life!

I wouldn't. The "men" on offer are all a bit dangerous. When you set up the profile you get to choose how "obsessed" he is. It's truly disturbing that the ideal being pitched at women is a man who scares them.

OP posts:
Baldrapunzel · Today 10:54

DisplayPurposesOnly · 11/11/2026 14:04

I wouldn't regard it as cheating.

I would consider the person unable to function in the real world which would mean that we are incompatible.

Absolutely this

Mummadeze · Today 10:52

… off to look up how to do this! It sounds good for people like me who are straight but have been put off men for life!

Specialneedsnightmare · Today 02:57

Irritableowlwan · 11/11/2026 13:56

Seriously you can generate a boyfriend or girlfriend? Thats creepy.

Have you seen the internet ads that pop up for an AI boyfriend? They are seriously disturbing..

AnnoyedAsAllHeck · Today 02:55

No thank you.

The horror movie to follow is writing itself...the AI girlfriend is jealous of the real life wife, so decides to do her in by controlling electronic functions around the house...she ends up killing them both and moves on to her next "boyfriend"...rinse and repeat until she meets her match in the movie star heroine...who saves her husband and the next victims...

nomoreraintoday · Yesterday 20:33

Not cheating but unbelievably pathetic

Laura95167 · Yesterday 19:11

Id end it not because I think its cheating.. but treating it like it real and having an emotional attachment to it would be too strange to tolerate.

dh280125 · Yesterday 17:56

It would seem childish to me. Ick territory.

JJMama · Yesterday 17:53

DisplayPurposesOnly · 11/11/2026 14:04

I wouldn't regard it as cheating.

I would consider the person unable to function in the real world which would mean that we are incompatible.

This! Wouldn’t class it as cheating but pathetic!

TheLastSilverSaint · Yesterday 01:52

GumyBand · 11/11/2026 22:43

What about if they were having fantasy masturbation sessions with the bot and not as much or no sex with the human partner?

Show quote history

Any sexless relationship would bother me, but it wouldn’t be made any worse just because they happened to pick AI as their alternative. It wouldn’t be any worse to me than someone having a sexless relationship because they’re wanking to their own imagination all the time.

ThisHazelCrow · Yesterday 00:36

Cheating and unhinged. Deal breakers.

whatnetxtocome · 11/11/2026 23:39

Ive seen a few docs on this sort of thing.
its not cheating i dont think it is.
But if it helps them let them be, the way the world is i dont blame men or women choosing it tbh.

GumyBand · 11/11/2026 23:17

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GumyBand · 11/11/2026 23:15

https://ifstudies.org/blog/counterfeit-connections-the-rise-of-ai-romantic-companions-

"These generative AI systems have typically been taught to be emotionally validating, caring, and always interested in what the user has to say, and, in many cases, to be overtly sexual. Many platforms intermix chat-based conversations with life-like, realistic, and sometimes sexually-explicit AI generated images for the fictional avatar. Many of these platforms allow individuals to “program” their ideal partners, creating idealized companions in terms of both facial features, body shape, dress and appearance, and personality traits. In some cases, users are allowed to generate images for their AI companion with body proportions that are unrealistic or depict an artistic style, such as anime."

Counterfeit Connections: The Rise of AI Romantic Companions

A new report from the Wheatley Institute explores how common it is for U.S. adults to use AI relationship technologies.

https://ifstudies.org/blog/counterfeit-connections-the-rise-of-ai-romantic-companions-

JetFlight · 11/11/2026 22:59

Fantasy masturbation? To me, that sounds so bizarre. How does that conversation go? I dread to think. I assume these are actual specific ais rather than asking ChatGPT for a date.

GumyBand · 11/11/2026 22:43

TheLastSilverSaint · 11/11/2026 22:42

If you were in a committed relationship with someone and you discovered they had an app that generated an AI girlfriend or boyfriend, would you regard that as cheating?

Of course I wouldn’t regard it as cheating. It’s just fantasy. People have every right to fantasise as much as they like.

I’d certainly want to ask them about it and what they were getting out of it, and if they felt anything was missing in our relationship that had prompted them to do it, but I wouldn’t regard it as cheating and neither would I try to stop them using the app.

What about if they were having fantasy masturbation sessions with the bot and not as much or no sex with the human partner?

TheLastSilverSaint · 11/11/2026 22:42

If you were in a committed relationship with someone and you discovered they had an app that generated an AI girlfriend or boyfriend, would you regard that as cheating?

Of course I wouldn’t regard it as cheating. It’s just fantasy. People have every right to fantasise as much as they like.

I’d certainly want to ask them about it and what they were getting out of it, and if they felt anything was missing in our relationship that had prompted them to do it, but I wouldn’t regard it as cheating and neither would I try to stop them using the app.

blythet · 11/11/2026 22:23

If there was someone that struggled socially and had never had a bf/gf, feeling lonely, not a lot of friends or much of a social life, I could almost understand them having this as a ‘fantasy’ and I’d feel sorry for them.

However, someone that’s in a relationship or has the social skills to go out and meet someone IRL I’d find it very sad and pathetic that they’d choose this option. It’s almost like they want someone they can control, won’t answer them back and will give them attention/validation.

its a bit worrying as could give completely false expectations of a relationship

VeryQuaintIrene · 11/11/2026 22:19

Major ick for me.

AspiringChatBot · 11/11/2026 22:14

I'd want to know why they've specifically contextualised this AI project as "a boyfriend" or "a girlfriend". If they want a manufactured AI-powered personality to interact with and develop a personal relationship with, why not a "friend" or "companion" or "conversation partner"? While it's probably technically not cheating - to paraphrase Queen Victoria, what could they possibly do? - acquiring any kind of "boyfriend" or "girlfriend" would seem to be at odds with being in a pre-existing monogamous relationship with some else.

GumyBand · 11/11/2026 22:12

And as someone said earlier, it's leaking of emotional and probably also sexual energy outside of the principal relationship, so whilst not strictly cheating, it's seeking validation and support from a source that is not the main partner.

It's pretty screwed up. Someone earlier defending it, but I loathe the road us humans are being led down. Real human connection is being more than gradually undermined at pretty much every level.