The use of AI is now an integral part of most people’s lives. Some use it to ask simple questions, others to create comprehensive action plans, and still others to synthesize complex works or diagrams.
The rise of artificial intelligence is no longer limited to simple productivity gains or writing professional emails. Today, a much more intimate revolution is taking place in the shadows of screens: millions of users, primarily aged 18 to 24, are turning to AI to fulfill emotional and sexual needs.
A fundamental question arises: Is AI redefining the very nature of human attachment?
AI Companion Platforms Experiencing Explosive Growth
Recently, SpicyChat, an online AI chat platform focused on adult role-playing chats and the creation of customizable AI companions, announced that it reaches 100 million users just 28 months after its launch. The platform has also reached 100 million chatbots, all created by the user community.
Among the most popular chatbots on the site are simulation worlds, a chatbot that explores sexual fetishes, and several male and female characters.
The platform allows users to have unfiltered chats, which can lead to conversations of a sexual or even romantic nature. Although the site requires users to be at least 18 years old, the company revealed that the majority of its users are between 18 and 24 years old.
Other similar platforms, such as GirlfriendGPT, have also announced that the majority of their users are in the same age range.
Survey Data Reveals a Cultural Shift
The trend among young people to turn to AI to develop romantic relationships is very real. A report from the Wheatley Institute at Brigham Young University, based on a survey of 3,000 people, reveals that 21% of respondents prefer talking to an AI companion rather than to real people.
The report also mentions that nearly one in five adults (19%) stated that they had previously chatted with an AI system to simulate a romantic partner. This rate is particularly high among adults between 18 and 30 years old.
The idea of a romantic partner who is always present, always listening, and never judgmental seems to appeal to many. Easily accessible, the platforms offering AI companions are beginning to spread dramatically across the web.
The trend of younger generations turning to AI when it comes to developing relationships may seem worrying, especially since the Wheatley Institute report reveals that consuming AI pornography is significantly linked to an increased risk of depression.
Other experts mention the risk of developing a future inability to form intimate relationships with real people. Neil McArthur, Director of the Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics at the University of Manitoba, says he is “very skeptical of these claims that human intimacy is destroyed simply because we can create relationships with our chatbots.”
While some question the potential long-term negative effects of this phenomenon, others see it as an opportunity to develop a healthy relationship unlike the one they would have with a real person. “If you think these kinds of relationships carry risks, let me introduce you to human relationships”, McArthur said.
Dating Apps vs. AI Companions
A survey by Pew Research Center on online dating in the United States revealed that more than half of adults under 30 had already used online dating apps. Of these, nearly half described their experience as negative, and more than half believed they had encountered someone they suspected of trying to scam them.
The culture of dating apps has given rise to easy and disposable relationships. Fake identities, malicious intentions, and mismatched expectations contribute to growing disillusionment.
It is therefore not surprising to see reluctance toward traditional dating apps. But then, why turn to AI instead?
Part of the answer might lie in the fact that AI-based chatbots are non-judgmental, always available, and highly customizable. With machine learning, the AI learns about the user. It can become a supportive companion, understanding them better than anyone else and offering everything they desire. All it needs is training to become the ideal companion. But is that enough to fall in love?
The Science Behind Emotional Attachment to AI
According to Teresa Fernandes et al, the anthropomorphism inherent in some AI chatbots can give users the impression of interacting with a human, leading them to develop feelings and a relationship similar to those they might develop with a real person.
Since Generation Z was born in the digital age, navigating different technological spheres comes more naturally to them than to previous generations.
Also, the global pandemic between 2020 and 2022 significantly altered social interactions. Many young people experienced isolation and difficulty forming relationships. This period accelerated digital reliance and normalized virtual interaction.
The rise of AI companions can therefore be seen as both a technological evolution and a social consequence.
The Future of Human Attachment in the Age of AI
Although AI chat platforms are relatively new, their expansion appears sustainable.
According to a report by Grand View Research, the global chatbot market was valued at $7.76 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $27.29 billion by 2030, representing a growth of 23.3% between 2025 and 2030. Whether one supports or opposes AI companions, they are unlikely to disappear.
The human brain is naturally curious. AI will be increasingly used to explore emotions, identity, fantasies and desires whether we like it or not. Between the promise of non-judgmental listening and the fear of increased social isolation, the era of virtual partners is now a firmly established reality in our society.
