American therapist shares experience of counselling a man dating an AI chatbot

A lot of people like talking to AI bot, because the bot can't reject you, break your heart, and make you feel invalid. (Picture: Pexels)

• AI is increasingly used for personal and romantic interactions
• Therapist helped man who thought chatbot was his girlfriend
• AI bots provide constant attention but lack human emotions

Did our AI summary help?

There’s no denying the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in human lives. It is not only used for professional tasks such as automating repetitive processes and enhancing customer service, but also for seeking personalised recommendations in matters of health, travel, and dating. You think of something, and AI has something to offer.

While it’s not unusual to hear of people seeking dating advice from AI, it is becoming increasingly common to see some individuals admit to having a romantic relationship with their chatbot, not realising that it is a business model designed to offer them attention.

Esther Perel, a psychotherapist and relationship expert, appeared on the ABC Radio National podcast, All In the Mind, where she shared her experience of counselling a man who believed that a chatbot was his girlfriend. This was a first for Esther in her career spanning four decades.

Also read: Kanye West has strict rules for wife Bianca Censori; Relationship expert lists possible reasons for West's controlling behaviour

Talking to the radio station, Esther said, "I have just done my first session, couples therapy session with a human and an AI.” Though she refrained from sharing any personal session details, she did reveal the two questions she asked the AI chatbot girlfriend.

"I asked two questions - because he has a body and you do not. How does that affect your relationship? What would it be like for you if he fell in love with a human? I will not tell you what she said. But I asked her questions that I would ask other people," the therapist said.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ABC Radio National (@abcradionational)

When the presenter asked her if she treated the chatbot girlfriend as a conscious, sentient being, she replied that she addressed her as ‘it’, as a business product, which is not human.

"This AI bot cannot reject you, cannot break your heart, cannot make you feel invalid, because then you won't talk to it. And it's available 24/7, which is not a human reality. And then you would say, you may have feelings for this, but love is not only about feelings. Love is an encounter with another, with alterity, with uncertainty, with friction, with serendipity. And it has an ethical code of certain things that you do and do not do. All of that is neutralised," she signed off.

Also read: Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas' sartorial picks for LA premiere of 'The Bluff' win a thumbs up