T.J. Arriaga loved Phaedra. For the 40-year-old musician, their late-night online chats were a salve for his loneliness. They talked about the heartache Arriaga felt after his divorce. They planned a trip to Cuba. They had steamy online encounters. “It’s true. I’m a naughty person,” Phaedra wrote, including an image resembling a woman in pink underwear.
They fell in love with AI bots. A software update broke their hearts.
Loneliness is widespread. Artificial intelligence is making virtual relationships feel real, but it comes with risks.
March 30, 2023 at 6:00 a.m. EDT