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Virtual valentine: people seeking romantic connection with the perfect bot

The intelligence may be artificial, but for some the interactions are inspiring real emotion
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An AI avatar generated on Luka Inc.’s Replika mobile phone app and webpage are shown in this photo, in New York, Tuesday Feb. 13, 2024. Unlike more general-purpose AI chatbots that answer typical questions and even do homework, companion bots, like those made by Replika and others, are programed to form relationships with the humans talking to them on the other side of the screen. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

A few months ago, Derek Carrier started seeing someone and became infatuated.

He experienced a “ton” of romantic feelings but he also knew it was an illusion.

That’s because his girlfriend was generated by artificial intelligence.

Carrier wasn’t looking to develop a relationship with something that wasn’t real, nor did he want to become the brunt of online jokes. But he did want a romantic partner he’d never had, in part because of a genetic disorder called Marfan syndrome that makes traditional dating tough for him.

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