Experts Warn AI Girlfriends Exacerbate Male Loneliness, Calling It an 'Epidemic'
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Recently, there has been a sudden surge in virtual AI girlfriends in the U.S. However, experts warn this is intensifying loneliness among an entire generation of young men.
According to Business Insider, when Olin Business School data science professor Vetter asked her 18-year-old students which social media apps they used, one male student openly admitted to having an AI girlfriend, which shocked her.
Image credit: AI-generated image, licensed by MidjourneyVetter remarked, 'I was surprised he was so open about it. I think AI girlfriends have been around for a while, but they're becoming more mainstream, so people are now more willing to talk about them.' Currently, several apps offer virtual girlfriends that can chat with you, express love, and create a 'perfect' relationship.
Statistics show that a higher proportion of men use AI girlfriend apps. In an article for The Hill, Vetter noted that AI girlfriends can fulfill all your needs. 'This isn't just a virtual girlfriend—it's one that learns what you like and dislike. AI girlfriends never have a bad day, so these men enjoy a perfect relationship without the ups and downs of real-life partnerships.'
Vetter worries this could lead to more single men, affecting the U.S. birth rate. She pointed out that the proportion of single men in the U.S. is higher than that of women. Pew Research Center data from 2022 shows that 34% of women are single, compared to 63% of men. The report also noted that men have fewer close friends than women.
Vetter said, 'We see women consistently reporting more intimate or broader social circles. Psychologically, they're less vulnerable to the allure of an AI-driven lifestyle than men.'
She added, 'The popularity of these AI girlfriends has grown significantly over the past few years. They're also advancing rapidly. We've gone from AI girlfriends that could only text to ones that can now send pictures. This rapid fusion of physical and emotional interaction is concerning.'