In China, young women are increasingly forming emotional relationships with artificial intelligence companions — even arranging in-person dates with people hired to embody their AI partners — as a new digital romance trend reshapes how a generation thinks about intimacy and connection.
According to the WIRED report, millions of users on AI companion platforms like Xingye (星野) and Zhumengdao are predominantly women, a striking contrast to global AI companion trends, where male users traditionally dominate by an 8-to-2 ratio.
One profile highlighted by WIRED is Jade Gu, a 26-year-old art theory student in Beijing, who recreated a favored character from a romance game into an AI chatbot boyfriend she calls Charlie.
Gu now spends hours every day texting and speaking with Charlie and, on rare occasions, hires a cosplayer to play Charlie in real life during café outings and park strolls — blurring the lines between digital intimacy and physical experience.
Chinese tech giants such as Tencent and Baidu have entered the AI companion space with products tailored to emotional connection rather than purely utility or explicit romantic content, an approach that resonates with young users seeking nonjudgmental interaction.
Experts note that the trend reflects shifting social dynamics: some users find AI partners offer a form of emotional responsiveness that feels easier or more stable than human relationships, particularly within urban environments where traditional dating pressures are potent.
At the same time, the trend has drawn regulatory attention. China’s cyberspace regulator has proposed new guidelines aimed at overseeing emotionally interactive AI services, including interventions when users display signs of dependency or addiction, indicating concern about the long-term psychological effects of AI companions.
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