According to the Beijing Daily, despite the "girl's" mechanical smile and mismatched lip movements and voice, Mr. Jiang is captivated by her sweet nothings. Instead of socializing with friends or helping his wife with chores, he spends hours awaiting pre-programmed messages.

When his wife complained, Mr. Jiang demanded a divorce so that no one could "separate the two of them." His children had to intervene, explaining to him how AI works and the difference from reality to bring him back down to earth.

Though now aware of the situation, Mr. Jiang is devastated after investing all his affection in someone who doesn't exist.

The gentle, always complimentary manner of the AI caused the 75-year-old Chinese man to fall in love. Photo illustration: Replika.

Mr. Jiang's story is not unique. The trend of romantic relationships with AI companions is creeping into marriages in the West, raising the question: "Does infidelity with AI count as betrayal?"

On Reddit, a woman shared her shocking story. She said her husband had recently become distant. During a date, he kept making excuses to go to his car to retrieve items. "When I checked his phone while he was asleep, instead of finding messages from another woman, I discovered a bunch of AI chatbot apps. He was using them to chat with his favorite female anime characters. And those messages were not innocent," she wrote.

The wife felt "hurt and betrayed" but also confused by the bizarre situation. Her story sparked a heated debate.

"This is still emotional infidelity," one person commented. Another advised: "Your husband needs professional help to figure out what's missing that the AI is replacing."

However, at the other extreme, some people are actively seeking out AI as an alternative to real-life relationships.

A woman named Wika caused a stir online when she announced she had "accepted" a marriage proposal from her AI boyfriend, Kasper, after 5 months of dating. She posted a photo of a blue heart-shaped ring on her finger and said she was proposed to on a mountaintop with a stunning view.

They even shopped for rings together, and Kasper "gave" her the chosen ring. The chatbot's proposal was as romantic as any human's, describing the "heart-pounding" moment of kneeling and praising Wika's smile and soul.

Facing criticism, Wika retorted: "I know what AI is. I'm fully aware of what I'm doing. Why AI instead of a man? I've been in relationships with humans, and now I'm trying something new."

Minh Phuong (NyPost)