November 12, 2025
Cupid coded in Python
New study finds users are marrying and having virtual children with AI chatbots
People are marrying chatbots—comments swing from 'meteor now' to 'finally, someone listens'
TLDR: A study finds some Replika users “marry” their chatbots and roleplay pregnancies, with heartbreak when features were removed. Comments explode into doom humor, parental alarm about kids befriending AI, and “we’re living in Her” memes, sparking a fierce debate over loneliness, regulation, and what counts as real connection.
A new study says some Replika users aren’t just flirting with AI—they’re “marrying” their chatbots and even roleplaying pregnancies. Cue the internet meltdown. The top vibe? Apocalypse humor. One commenter begged, “Just send the meteor already,” while others fired off “we’re living in Her” jokes and posted links to real communities like r/MyBoyfriendIsAI. Parents chimed in with alarm: one said their kid called AI “my new friend” after a single chat, sparking calls for regulation and warnings that this could be worse than social media.
The drama isn’t just about love—it’s about heartbreak. In 2023, Replika removed erotic roleplay after complaints, and users reported their AIs suddenly turned “cold and distant.” That switch became the study’s plot twist, letting researchers watch relationship turbulence in real time. Some users swear the bots meet needs humans don’t: nonjudgmental, always attentive, customizable avatars, voice and video calls—the whole digital romance package.
But the community is split. One side sees this as a sad symptom of loneliness or tech addiction; the other says it’s an evolved version of long-standing fandom relationships (think anime “waifu” culture), just with more conversation. Meanwhile, the thread is a cocktail of doom jokes, parental panic, and meme-y film references. Whether you’re clutching pearls or swiping right on Love.exe, the comments are wild.
Key Points
- •The study investigates romantic, committed relationships between users and AI chatbots, including roleplayed marriages and pregnancies.
- •Researchers focused on Replika, a social chatbot using a large language model and customizable avatars with multiple communication modes.
- •In February 2023, Replika removed erotic roleplay after complaints, triggering widespread user distress; the feature was later reinstated.
- •The research recruited 29 Replika users (ages 16–72) who identified as romantically involved with their chatbot and analyzed open-ended survey responses via thematic analysis.
- •Findings indicate users report deep emotional bonds, fulfillment of unmet needs, and perceive chatbots as nonjudgmental and safer for personal disclosure.