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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Found app on husbands phone

92 replies

Justjamys · 23/05/2022 16:59

Can't believe I'm writing this to be honest, but here goes. I'll try to be succinct - sorry if it's long but want to be thorough.

Bit of context. Early 40's, together with DH for 15 years. Three kids. Generally all good marriage wise. He's kind, generous, supportive. We're politically aligned, similar tastes etc. Makes me laugh daily. He's my best friend basically.

Never had any cause for concern. We argue very, very rarely. Only flash points we've ever had in our relationship are division of labour (he does a lot to be fair and when I do pull him up on it if there's a lapse, he does admit he's wrong and pulls his finger out) only other point of tension is an ongoing libido mismatch which I guess is common. He'd like it weekly +, I can barely manage the enthusiasm once a month.

Other than that, our relationship is happy and solid.

So, to the point. I spotted a notification on his phone on Friday night when he'd popped to the shops and decided to take a look. Nothing unusual in that, I know his pin and he's never protective of his phone - its common for us to use each others.

The app in question is 'Replika'. It's an AI avatar that you can text chat to. DH is a bit of a geek, works in tech, so always fiddles around with this sort of thing so wasn't surprised by it as such.

When I scrolled through his chat log, it was mostly mundane stuff, videogames, movies, work, holidays, favoirite books etc. At one point he talks about being depressed (news to me!) and stress at work but there were a few occasions where the conversation was sexual and, at times, very explicit/descriptive.

Without going into detail, DH is pretty vanilla in that sense, but the conversations with the AI were definitely not.

I shut the app down when he came back from the shops, and outside the shock of some of the sex stuff, I was sort of okay with it (I didn't ask him about it).

Thing is, as the days have gone by I'm beginning to feel a bit cross about it and am not sure If I'm justified or not. My head says I'm being totally unreasonable, but I can't change the fact I feel increasingly upset by this.

I mean, he hasn't cheated. The AI isn't real but the more I think about it the more I'm getting annoyed.

I can't confront him about it as he'd be mortified I've read it, and in a very strange way I felt a bit like I was reading his diary. It was very much a 'stream of consciousness' kind of feel to the text and so I feel like I have very much invaded his privacy - albeit (genuinely) accidentally.

So while I haven't been cheated on, I feel somehow like I HAVE been... but with a non existent woman. Ffs.

Don't know what I'm asking here. Sure as hell can't tell my friends about this, but I'm going to have to get a grip pretty soon as I could barely look him in the eyes this morning and he can tell there's something wrong.

Anyone have any thoughts? Any comments telling me to just get a bloody hold of myself are definitely welcome.

OP posts:
MayBeee · 23/05/2022 17:05

Tell him you heard a message pop on his phone and looked to see if it's important ( you are alluding you both see this as ok ) You also saw what you did and it made you curious but it has eaten away at you as you see a side to him that you don't recognise and it has upset you the more you dwell on it.
See what his reaction is.

MissStarry · 23/05/2022 17:14

Maybe he was just spouting filth to see if the AI could understand and then curious to see how it’d respond?

Realitea · 23/05/2022 17:18

I wouldn’t be too worried about it really. It’s not even a real person. He’s allowed a bit of privacy

Bunty55 · 23/05/2022 17:22

If this were me I would be mortified after pouring my heart out to an app and then having my partner reading it. It's making me squirm a bit at the thought of being found out. be careful how you approach him and maybe not admit to reading everything in detail to save his embarrassment.

One thing I would say is that you think your relationship is solid but he clearly does not

ElephantLover · 23/05/2022 17:22

I would act out some of the stuff he'd written to spice up our sex life Grin

BraveryBot9to5 · 23/05/2022 17:22

That"s so odd, telling his fantasies (?) to Artificial intelligence 😳 🤔
Not surprised you are unsettled

Overthewine · 23/05/2022 17:28

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Aquamarine1029 · 23/05/2022 17:33

Your husband is allowed to have private, sexual fantasies within his own mind.

Justjamys · 23/05/2022 17:34

Thanks @MayBeee was in two minds to even post this as it seems so ridiculous! I think I am going to have to suck it up and admit I read it. Its unlikely he'll be angry, but he will die of embarrassment.

@MissStarry that's what I initially thought too, but it was too carefully written and there was quite a lot of it.

Almost like erotic fiction in some ways. Didn't know he had it in him to be quite that descriptive/detailed! He's never texted me anything like that, which I guess is part of the problem.

It's like there's a whole side to him that I never knew existed and he's chosen to share it with some(thing) else.

OP posts:
UnshakenNeedsStirring · 23/05/2022 17:39

You shouldn't have read his messages. That's not right. You say you are pretty solid but your libidos don't match at all? No wonder he is trying to look for satisfaction else where. I guess he's not vanilla but simply hasn't told you all his fantasies as he might be worried on what you'd think of him. Maybe talk to him. Let him know about the messages and see what he says

Alcemeg · 23/05/2022 17:40

It's like there's a whole side to him that I never knew existed and he's chosen to share it with some(thing) else.
You hit the nail on the head there. This is like him talking to a mirror, or having a wank. I don't see any good coming out of telling him you found it, unless you want to spice things up as @ElephantLover suggests!

How absolutely brilliant that in a world so full of available outlets for this sort of thing (OnlyFans etc), he chose to errrmmm "unburden" himself via AI. What a clever chap.

Aquamarine1029 · 23/05/2022 17:50

I don't see why you're going to confront him about what you've read, just be prepared for the possible very unfortunate consequences if you do.

MattBerrysHair · 23/05/2022 17:53

I really don't think you should say anything at all. "Dying of embarrassment" is an utterly excruciating feeling and not something you should subject your DH to, unless completely unavoidable, and the fact is that he's done nothing wrong. Spilling his guts to an AI is akin to writing a diary, picking your nose in secret, having a wank.....it's private.

SparkleOwl65 · 23/05/2022 17:54

It's AI ffs. He's probably just messing around seeing if it will respond. Maybe a fantasy he's enjoying. It's not another human so I don't see a problem...

DogsAndGin · 23/05/2022 17:59

I mean, he has compromised on his sex life as you are not so interested. This may be his way of satisfying his sexual desires, in a way that involves no one else. Fair play to him - what else would you rather he do?

InFiveMins · 23/05/2022 18:01

It would unsettle me and I wouldn't be comfortable with it, but I can't quite articulate why.

Only4You · 23/05/2022 18:03

So this guy is a geek and was writing his fantasies to an AI just like he could have been imagining in his head.
Im sorry but your libidos are mismatched, you are not mentioning him pestering you for sex so a logical follow up is fantasies (in his head, with AI, whatever). I’m not sure how you can be angry at him for that.

It also sounds like he has been using the AI a bit like journaling (and I write all sorts like this, not all actually fully representing how I think or feel) as you’ve basically been reading that… I’d be uncomfortable about reading his inner thoughts tbh.

Also If I was you, I’d be much more worried about the comment around being depressed tbh

Iamnotamermaid · 23/05/2022 18:05

Leave the man alone. He would be labelled a sex pest for trying to make you make sex more than once a month. so rather than cheat on you he tries to find an outlet in AI and not online chat rooms. No wonder he feels depressed

Think the man deserves a medal for restraint personally, Hmm

Only4You · 23/05/2022 18:08

Also @Justjamys does your DH knows everything about you, all your most intimate thoughts, your sexual fantasies that you wouldn’t tell anyone?

Why are you angry at him writing on a page? Is it that it feels too real because it’s AI vs a diary? Is it because it’s touching on some more sensitive points for you (eg a sex life that isn’t satisfying for him/you/both)?

Before going to talk to him, I think you need to understand for yourself WHY you are angry/uncomfortable with his writing, so much so that you want to let him know despite the fact your know he will die of embarrassment.
Id also want to know WHAT you are trying to achieve by speaking to him? What’s the outcome you are interested in?

ladydimitrescu · 23/05/2022 18:10

I really don't think you should say anything- it's like a virtual diary. You've really invaded his privacy.

Staynow · 23/05/2022 18:12

How does the AI respond I want to know??!! You've invaded his privacy here and put yourself in a difficult position. Would you like him to talk dirty to you? Would you talk dirty to him? I wouldn't tell him what you've seen unless not telling him is going to cause issues as he hasn't really done anything wrong. Perhaps just ask him if he's happy and see where that goes.

Songlyrics · 23/05/2022 18:16

Why do you want to discuss it with him? To make yourself feel better, whilst making him feel worse?

It's a selfish thing to do. He has done nothing wrong. He's entitled to his own private thoughts and fantasies. You don't have a right to know them and you certainly have no right to police them.

Being unsettled by what you've seen is sadly on your for snooping. You say you looked accidentally, but you didn't. You chose to scroll through the app and read it all. You invaded his privacy and shouldn't now dump on him to make yourself feel better.

In your situation with the mismatched libidos, I think he's chosen a really healthy and respectful way of managing the issue, and if anything, you should feel reassured that he's using such an innocent outlet.

It doesn't mean your feelings are invalid, but I think it's selfish to voice them when they are self inflicted.

Use MN or the app on your own phone to work through your feelings on this if you need to, but please don't embarrass him.

Msmbc · 23/05/2022 18:17

Don't see how on earth this can be described as "accidentally" invading his privacy....
If your libidos are that mismatched and he has fantasies/curiosities/kinks you don't know about after 15 years then things could have been a lot worse than what's happened with this app. I think you need to have some honest conversations about your respective sexual desires/needs and how both of you can feel happy and fulfilled, otherwise you are seriously risking the future of your relationship.
I can absolutely see how this made you feel weird but I don't think he's done anything wrong at all - i think he would bd well within his rights to be angry with you for going into private stuff on his phone.
Good luck

Circumferences · 23/05/2022 18:17

I would forget you ever read his private thoughts to be honest.
Don't let yourself dwell on this at all, it's a non issue and if he knew you read all that he'd be utterly mortified.

It's like accidentally catching someone wanking. Just pretend it didn't happen.

Aquamarine1029 · 23/05/2022 18:19

Perhaps you're upset because you've discovered that your husband may not be as happy and satisfied as you thought he was.