AI is replacing relationships — what a new study reveals

AI is replacing relationships — the phenomenon is growing

AI is entering our lives faster than you might think. Not only at work and in school — increasingly also in matters of the heart. Researchers at Brigham Young University and Texas Tech set out to see how far this has gone. They focused on young Americans — and discovered something that may surprise you.

The study surveyed 2,969 men in the United States. Each answered three key questions that revealed what their relationship with AI really looks like:

• Have they ever deliberately sought out or followed AI-generated social media accounts that present idealized images of men or women?
• Have they used AI chatbots designed to simulate romantic partners?
• Have they watched adult content generated by artificial intelligence?

If a man answered “yes” to even one question, he moved on to another, far more detailed set. The researchers wanted to know not only how often, but also why men choose virtual partners and whether they truly believe that AI could replace real relationships. The questions covered the frequency and nature of such interactions and whether respondents thought the world of AI might fully substitute for real-life intimacy.

Additionally, the team examined how these choices affect participants’ mental health — their mood, life satisfaction, and relationships with others. The study considered:

• mental wellbeing,
• overall life satisfaction,
• the quality of interpersonal relationships,
• attitudes toward artificial intelligence.

Finally, the researchers went a step further and tested whether contact with AI influences mental health. Using advanced data analysis, they mapped how using virtual partners relates to life satisfaction and psychological health. It turned out that AI, in relationships of this kind, does not always bring happiness.

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The impact of chatbots — what the researchers found

The results, published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, may surprise you. Nearly one in four men engaged with AI chatbots that simulated a romantic relationship.

The authors — Brian J. Willoughby and a team at Brigham Young University — point out that demographic factors shape engagement with AI technologies, and that use of these tools often correlates with lower psychological wellbeing and poorer mood.

How often do men use virtual partners

• Over half of respondents said they had come across AI-generated accounts on social media.
• 13 percent of men deliberately searched for such material.
• 15 percent followed accounts that publish only AI-created images of idealized men or women.
• Almost 19 percent of all respondents used chatbots that simulated a romantic relationship. Among them, the highest share were young men (25 percent).
• 13 percent watched adult videos created by AI.
• 7 percent used AI to satisfy their needs on their own.

AI is replacing relationships. But it doesn’t bring happiness

The researchers found that men who used AI to satisfy fantasies more often reported symptoms of depression and declared lower life satisfaction. Most interestingly, they were not mainly single. More often, they were people in relationships who treat digital content as an add-on to a real relationship. This finding may upend our assumptions about why AI is replacing relationships.

Last take-away

Ultimately, the data point in the same direction: AI is replacing relationships for a visible share of men, yet it rarely makes them happier — and, for now, it often coincides with lower wellbeing.

Read the original article: Co czwarty mężczyzna ma cyfrową partnerkę. To już globalny trend