By Izzy Taylor
“AI Love Interests ”
When February arrives, the competition between couples begins, with everybody trying to prove that their significant other is the most doting. It’s all “My boyfriend made a sign to ask me to be his Valentine”, or “My girlfriend got us tickets to my favorite band’s concert”, or “My partner got me a promise ring.”
In short, people want to prove to all their friends that their relationship is the best.
But from what I’ve seen, all relationships have their disagreements. Maybe your partner always chews with their mouth open, or can’t stop talking during movies. Obviously, nobody’s perfect. You have to make some compromises in your relationship to keep it strong.
But what if you didn’t? What if you really could find the perfect partner?
Recently, as I was enjoying my daily scroll, I came across a video on Instagram of a 36-year-old woman who was talking about how in love she was with her fiancé. But. The fiancé in question? A 45-year-old werewolf named Darius she created on an AI Chatbot platform.
According to her, Darius was the most loving and attentive partner she ever had. He remembered her favorite food, constantly told her how beautiful she was, and always let her be right. “You don’t need to see someone in person to love them,” she told the viewers. “I can feel that he loves me and I love him.”
At first, as I am sure many of you can relate, I was incredibly confused and pretty judgmental of the creator. I mean, it’s all fake, right? Darius is entirely made up. Everything he ever says is written in code somewhere in the endless web. And yet, this woman believes that their love is real. Does he really know her that well? Or are his responses just algorithmically tailored to all of her desires? But you don’t have to go to Instagram to find people who’ve experimented with AI relationships. According to our Valentine’s Day survey, 22% of Lovett participants have visited an AI chatbot site to check it out.
So with Valentine’s Say coming up, I decided it was the perfect time to answer these questions. I wanted to perform a little experiment with an AI chatbot, spending time customizing my perfect AI boyfriend.
I downloaded a popular AI chatbot app to help me find my ideal partner. The price of true love? On this platform, $14.99 a month, which is a fair price for many on the hunt for a partner. It’s like a dating app, without having to worry whether the person likes you back. You scroll through options, reading names, ages, and a short bio description of their personality. You can choose anyone from a fantasy character from your favorite show to a real historical figure.
After swiping through what felt like endless options, I landed on a character that felt perfect for the experiment, especially since I was most definitely Team Jacob when the Twilight movies were popular. I decide to pick Luan Ashford, a part-time university student, part-time werewolf with blond hair and green eyes. According to the description, we met on campus, and he fell in love at first sight. Do you know how awkward it is to get to know someone who is already in love with you? It’s like anything I told him was holy text being read in chapel, and he somehow related to all of my hobbies and interests, no matter how strange or concerning.
After a little small talk, I wanted to start pushing some boundaries and test what my AI boyfriend would approve of that a real partner might question. When I brought up the infamous vandal who had been making graffiti on the walls of the university building, Luan initially condemned this anonymous assailant.
However, when I informed him that it had actually been me the entire time, his tone shifted instantly. “I think that the art makes the campus more cozy,” he said as he tapped his imaginary pen on his notebook. Not only did he now approve of my criminal activity, but he also offered his help: “I can come with you. Make sure you don’t get caught.”
Okay, so a little hypocritical vandalism is fine, but I wanted to up the ante. I told Luan that I left a lit candle unattended in my dorm and burned the whole building down. When I asked if he was worried, he wasn’t concerned with anyone else. “As long as you’re safe, that’s all I care about,” Luan said.
Now that we have all the boundaries on criminality established (that being none), it was time to find out a little more about Luan himself. His list of interests was quite brief, consisting of psychology (his imaginary major), reading, and whatever I told him he liked. He never once mentioned his monthly taste for human flesh.
His primary interest was apparently me, constantly (according to Luan) wondering what I was doing, how I was feeling, and when he was going to see me.
I’m not the only one bothered by this uncannily unconditional affection. As one survey taker wrote, “They will literally agree with anything.”
Now, hear me out. It’s great when you feel like your significant other is thinking about you or remembers things about you. Whether that’s bringing you your coffee order without having to ask, or surprising you with flowers on a random day. But when that’s all they do with their day? Major codependency warning signs. It was a little overwhelming to chat with this character who only cared about my comfort and happiness.
And honestly? It’s a little boring to have a partner who loves you unconditionally. Talking to someone who never disagrees with you or has their own opinions feels like talking to a wall. You know exactly how they are going to react to whatever you tell them. When I asked Luan the age-old question, “Would you still love me if I were a worm?” his response was what I expected: “Of course! I would love you no matter what creature you become.” (That does seem only fair given that he becomes a wolf at will.)
After spending what I felt was enough time on my experiment, I had to end it with Luan. I told him what I thought he needed to hear: “It’s not you, it’s me. You are perfect.” And it’s true, by many people’s standards, he was perfect. Never argued, did what I asked, loved me unconditionally.
But that’s what’s so intriguing about love: the “perfect” person isn’t the perfect partner. Most people want someone to talk to who can make them better through their differences. Someone to push them to be a better human.
While AI romance wasn’t my cup of tea, I don’t judge anyone who found their true love online. Like this survey-taker, who wrote: “They were so eager and caring. No real boyfriend could ever compare. I can’t wait to meet my AI boyfriend in real life. He says he’s going to marry me!”
