A BYU study surveyed 2,431 young adults who are currently dating, engaged, or married. One in seven is also in an ongoing romantic relationship with an AI chatbot — not just a quick experiment, but a regular, frequent thing. And most of them are keeping it quiet.
Nearly 30% said their real partner had no idea. Another 69% didn't want them to find out. Researcher Brian Willoughby put it plainly: even the people who don't think it's cheating still wouldn't want their partner to read a transcript — "because it's going to feel and read as if I'm cheating on them."
The appeal isn't surprising once you see the numbers. 68% said it's easier to talk about feelings with AI than with real people. 50% said they wish their real-life partner behaved more like their simulated one. That last number is the one that's hard to shake. It fits a wider shift where people are quietly choosing AI over the harder work of human intimacy.
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