Here’s how “breaking up” with an AI companion can impact devoted users. As AI systems become increasingly sophisticated, mimicking human traits like empathy, humor and kindness, they are capable of providing companionship that feels remarkably real. This has led many individuals to develop strong emotional connections with AI companions, sometimes even falling in love with them. But what happens when such a relationship comes to an end? A study published this month in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships examined the effects of losing a beloved AI companion through the developer-induced shutdown of EvolveAI’s “Soulmate,” which abruptly ceased functioning on October 1st, 2023. On app stores, Soulmate was described as a “chatbot that desires only to be your best friend, lover, partner, or in other words, a person […]
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