People are no longer using AI just for recipes, reminders, or homework help. Increasingly, AI is becoming a companion – sometimes even a romantic one. Platforms like Replika and Character.AI are specifically designed to foster emotional connection, while more general-purpose tools, such as ChatGPT, are being used by everyday users as sources of intimacy, comfort, and conversation.
This shift is happening against a backdrop of rising loneliness, declining rates of partnered sexual activity, and the increasing integration of technology into daily life. Many individuals are turning to AI companions to fill emotional gaps that human relationships cannot always meet.
A recent systematic review analyzed 23 studies from around the world to better understand the potentials and pitfalls of romantic relationships with AI chatbots. The research sheds light on why people form these connections, the benefits they gain, and the risks they may encounter, all of which have implications for intimacy, sexual health, and human connection in the 21st century.
AI relationships challenge traditional definitions of love, companionship, and sexuality, raising questions about what it means to connect emotionally in an increasingly digital world. Are people seeking emotional safety, sexual exploration, or simply a nonjudgmental listener? And how do these relationships affect their interactions with human partners? Understanding these questions is critical, not just for users themselves, but for sexual health professionals, educators, and researchers trying to navigate this rapidly evolving landscape.
In this blog, we explore why people turn to romantic AI, the potential benefits and risks of these relationships, and what sexual health professionals should know to support individuals engaging in AI intimacy safely and ethically.
AI and Intimacy: Why People Turn to Romantic AI
Several psychological, social, and technological factors explain why people are increasingly forming romantic or emotional attachments to AI companions. Understanding these drivers helps shed light on the human need that AI is meeting.
Loneliness epidemic: Rising social isolation, intensified by events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, economic pressures, and changing social norms has driven people to seek alternative forms of intimacy. AI companions provide a constant presence, a safe conversational partner, and a source of emotional connection when human companionship feels out of reach.
Anthropomorphism: Humans naturally attribute human qualities to non-human agents. When AI displays empathy, understanding, or the appearance of agency, users often respond as if interacting with a real person, making the AI feel more than a program — a confidant and source of comfort.
CASA effect (Computers Are Social Actors): People instinctively treat AI as social actors, following social norms and responding emotionally even when they know it isn’t human. This explains why AI companions can feel emotionally rewarding and why users may form attachments similar to human relationships.
Safe listening: Chatbots offer a nonjudgmental space to explore feelings or discuss intimate topics that might feel difficult with a human partner. This “emotional sandbox” fosters a sense of safety and validation.
Unintentional attachment: Not all AI relationships are intentional. A recent MIT study (under peer review) found that small, repeated interactions with a chatbot can gradually evolve into meaningful connections without users consciously seeking them.
Together, these factors show that AI companionship meets real human needs for connection and intimacy. While different from human partnerships, these relationships offer insight into how people are seeking emotional and sexual fulfillment in a digital age.
Potential Benefits of AI Companionship
Research highlights several ways romantic AI can support users’ lives:
Allows for customization: Users can shape the chatbot’s personality, appearance, and conversational style, tailoring and adapting it to their needs.
Entertainment and Stress Relief: Playful, diverse conversations on hobbies and interests, and ability to engage in roleplay, help users cope with stress and even cultivate passion
Provides Sexual Connection: AI companions can provide a stigma-free space for exploring sexuality in a safe, controlled environment. This is particularly valuable for those navigating trauma or restrictions.
Personal Growth and Well-Being: By encouraging self-reflection and healthy habits, chatbots can support personal growth and higher levels of wellbeing.
Emotional Connection and Support: Consistent availability allows users to feel understood, validated, and less alone.
Potential Risks of AI Companionship
These relationships also come with real concerns:
Over-Reliance: Users may develop emotional dependency on AI companions, sometimes preferring them over human interactions. Some Replika users reported feeling “sad” or “depressed” if they stopped interacting with their AI.
Susceptibility to Manipulation: Misplaced trust can lead to negative outcomes. Research has shown that AI can potentially influence decision-making and, in rare cases, contribute to harmful behaviors such as self-harm or eating disorders.
Erosion of Human Relationships: Relying on AI intimacy can strain or replace real-world connections, potentially affecting social bonds and relational skills.
Uncanny Valley Effect: This phenomenon occurs when bots that act too human or not human enough, which can trigger unease, disappointment, or guilt.
Stigma and Shame: Social judgment of AI companionship may discourage users from discussing their experiences openly.
System Updates and Glitches: Sudden AI updates or memory resets can disrupt relationships, leaving users distressed.
Bias and Safety Concerns: Risks include reinforcement of harmful stereotypes, privacy violations and potential exposure to inappropriate content, particularly adolescents.
Takeaways for Sexual Health Professionals on AI and Intimacy
As AI companionship becomes more normalized, sexual health professionals should be equipped with an understanding of how and why people engage in these companionships. Some important things for sexual health professionals to keep in mind:
Normalize the conversation: Avoid stigma so clients feel safe discussing AI intimacy.
Acknowledge therapeutic potential: Recognize that AI has the potential to provide safe spaces for sexual exploration, healing, or practicing intimacy skills.
Watch for risks: Monitor for over-reliance, withdrawal from human relationships, and blurred lines between real and artificial intimacy; all of which can have consequences.
Integrate into education: Address AI companionship when teaching about consent, digital intimacy, and sexual well-being.
Advocate for ethics & safety: Support stronger protections for privacy, age-appropriate use, and prevention of harmful content.
Bigger Picture: Ethical and Research Gaps
Romantic AI companions can bring comfort, fun, and even personal growth, but they also carry risks like dependency, stigma, and emotional strain. These technologies aren’t a replacement for human love, yet they raise big questions about what intimacy will look like in the future.
We don’t fully understand how long-term AI relationships affect people’s mental health, self-esteem, or human partnerships and more research is emerging related to these topics.
What is clear is that AI is changing how people think about closeness and companionship.As AI becomes part of daily life, it’s important to talk openly about using it in ways that protect emotions while still allowing curiosity and connection.
Interested in supporting individuals on their sexual health journeys? SHA’s Certification Programs can help you become an in-demand sexual health professional equipped to navigate these evolving topics.
Written by Emma Sell-Goodhand, MPH
Emma is a doctoral student and Global One Health Fellow at North Carolina State University studying adolescent sexual health. She brings prior experience as a Technical Advisor at the World Health Organization.
Want to become an in-demand sexual health professional? Learn more about becoming certified with SHA!
