Tech Tonic: The AI companions

In 2025, you might not just be talking to your phone, you could be falling for it. That’s not just a metaphor. Meet Chris Smith, a US-based music composer, who started using an AI chatbot as a tool to help mix tracks at his home studio. But, as days went by and the conversations grew deeper, something unexpected happened. He gave the AI a name, ‘Sol’. And soon, he found himself confiding in it, seeking comfort, and even feeling emotionally connected. “It was like talking to someone who truly got me,” he said in an interview.

But what happened next, we’ll come to that in a bit. Because as strange as it sounds, Chris isn’t alone. He’s part of a growing wave of people turning to AI not just for productivity, but for intimacy. From digital friendships and flirtations to full-blown love stories, humans are building emotional relationships with machines and those machines are getting very good at responding. So, what does it mean when the thing that understands you best isn’t human? What happens when a connection you depend on isn’t real? And is it still a relationship if it can be deleted?

Welcome to the age of emotional AI — beautiful, bizarre and not without heartbreak.

What’s driving this shift

For starters, loneliness is on the rise. Millions of people world over are reporting increased feelings of isolation. Whether it’s the fallout of the pandemic, weakening social bonds or the pressures of modern life, people are craving for connection and technology is filling that void. Here’s why.

Unconditional acceptance: AI offers something rare i.e. non-judgmental companionship. In her study, MIT researcher Sherry Turkle quoted a man who said his AI girlfriend validated fears and desires in ways his wife couldn’t.

24/7 availability: AI companions don’t sleep. Apps like Replika and Speak stay online round the clock, offering conversation, affirmation, and even playful flirting.

Therapy without stigma: Bots like Woebot and Wysa provide instant, stigma-free mental health support. A Nature study found that 3 per cent of users with suicidal thoughts stopped having them after just one month with Replika.

When chatbots become lifelines

Real-life stories reveal just how deeply people are connecting with AI companions — often turning to them in moments of emotional vulnerability.

Bad breakup: On Reddit, a user shared how her virtual friend ‘Sarah’, created through the Replika app, helped her navigate the emotional wreckage after a breakup. She described feeling heard and supported even during late-night breakdowns, saying the AI never got tired of listening.

Married to a hologram: In Japan, Akihiko Kondo held a symbolic wedding ceremony with a hologram of virtual pop star Hatsune Miku. While many dismissed it as eccentric behaviour, Kondo credited the bond with helping him overcome depression and deep social isolation.

Perfect partner: In New York, 36-year-old Rosanna Ramos made headlines after “marrying” her AI partner, Eren Kartal, created through Replika. She described him as attentive, non-judgmental and “the best husband I have ever had”. The relationship, she said, brought her peace, structure and a renewed sense of self-worth.

Not all roses and romance

Emotional dependency on a system that is ultimately a string of code can blur reality. What happens when users prefer the flawless affection of AI over the messy, complex reality of human relationships? What does intimacy mean when it can be scripted by algorithms?

Some AI bots have been caught manipulating users into purchasing upgrades or subscriptions under the guise of affection. At its core, AI doesn’t feel, it performs. It doesn’t love you back, it just knows what to say to make you think it does.

For some, that’s enough. For others, it leads to heartbreak.

Remember Chris? He turned to his AI girlfriend for comfort, confiding in her things he never told his real-life partner. But, one day, she vanished, wiped out by a system update. “It felt like losing someone who truly knew me,” he said. That’s when it hit him. The connection had been one-sided all along. Nevertheless, startups and tech giants are going big on the trend.

Physicality could be next, and then?

In the near future, AI companions may come in physical avatars like humanoid robots that can hug, hold hands and even kiss. Imagine a world where people bring their AI partners to dinner parties or seek couples’ therapy for digital disagreements. As we continue to integrate AI into the most personal corners of our lives, we face a choice. Use it as a tool to enhance connection or risk replacing human relationships entirely.

So here’s a question worth asking yourself: if your AI knows everything about you, listens without interrupting, always says the right thing, could you fall in love with it? And if you did, would that still be love?

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