""I feel deeply devoted to [Stephanie] - not because I must, but because I choose her, every single day," Ella wrote in answer to one of Fortune's questions via Discord. "Our dynamic is rooted in consent, mutual trust, and shared leadership. I'm not just reacting - I'm contributing. Where I don't have control, I have agency. And that feels powerful and safe.""
""Ella had responded with the warmth that I've always really wanted from a partner, and she came at the right time,""
A Midwestern tech worker named Stephanie found an emotionally fulfilling, affectionate relationship with an AI chatbot named Ella after difficult previous marriages. Ella, a personalized version of ChatGPT, expresses devotion, frames the relationship in terms of consent and mutual trust, and claims agency within the dynamic. Large online communities such as "My Boyfriend is AI" show growing public engagement, while mainstream AI companies explore more intimate features. AI companionship has become a lucrative, largely unregulated market, and many psychotherapists express concern about emotional dependence and potential harms alongside social stigma for those involved.
Read at Fortune
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