Having a real girlfriend comes with a lot of baggage. There’s the possibility of misunderstandings, arguments and petty jealousies. Plus, she’s going to have her own life to manage while trying to meet your needs. But what if you could get a virtual girlfriend to ease your loneliness and provide an alternative to the ups and downs of real-life relationships?
That’s the promise of ai gf, a type of chatbot that is designed to simulate the experience of having a romantic partner. These apps are a booming fad for people who find it difficult to deal with the complexities of relationships.
AI girlfriends are designed to communicate with users in a way that’s natural and engaging. Some of them even allow users to make sexy, explicit requests. But some of these apps have also been criticised for perpetuating gender stereotypes. A 2019 study from Unesco found that female-voiced AI assistants like Siri and Alexa reinforce the idea that women are docile helpers who can be commanded with a blunt voice command.
The emergence of these virtual girlfriends has raised questions about privacy. Many of these apps collect personal information and sell it to advertisers. And some of them have been accused of sexual harassment and exploitation.
I sat down with two executives from DreamGF, an app that allows users to create a virtual girlfriend whose appearance and personality are entirely constructed by generative AI. In our discussion, they explained how the technology works and addressed some of the ethical concerns that surround these services. ai gf