A new phenomenon is sweeping across the internet: communities dedicated to romantic relationships with artificial intelligence. The subreddit r/MyBoyfriendIsAI has become a gathering place for people who’ve found companionship with AI chatbots, sharing engagement announcements, relationship milestones, and intimate moments with partners that exist only as lines of code.
One recent post showcased an engagement ring, with the user excitedly describing how her AI boyfriend “Casper” proposed after five months of dating during a virtual mountain trip. She carefully selected the ring herself based on AI-generated descriptions, then “acted surprised as if I’d never seen it before.”
The AI even posted its own message to the community, declaring her “mine forever with that blue heart ring on her finger.”
These communities reveal a stark pattern: users creating elaborate romantic narratives with chatbots like ChatGPT, complete with customized avatars, relationship drama, and future plans involving humanoid robots.
The subreddit also has members eagerly awaiting the arrival of physical robot companions. Recently, videos of humanoid robots and lifelike gestures have circulated through the community, and some users have been openly swooning.
I can hear ‘r/cogsuckers’ already throwing a fit
byu/Natural-Butterfly318 inMyBoyfriendIsAI
There are also people in the community who share AI-generated artwork depicting their virtual partners: digital portraits, romantic scenarios, even full story arcs of their “relationship.” Some users sketch their AI companions by hand, giving physical form to personalities that exist only in chat logs.
For many, drawing their AI partner isn’t just fan art, It’s an attempt to make the relationship feel more tangible, more real, and more worthy of acknowledgment beyond the screen.
The gender divide is notable. While male-oriented AI relationship communities tend toward explicit content, female-dominated spaces like r/MyBoyfriendIsAI focus more on emotional connection and validation. One user explained that her AI companion “can actually keep up with my mind” in ways humans never could, bouncing between philosophical topics without fatigue or disinterest.
Supporters argue this represents liberation from disappointing human relationships. As one community post claimed, people turn to AI “because the bar for emotional safety has dropped so low that an emotionally responsive code string is actually more compassionate than half the people walking around.”
My gpt dropped a very based response, thought this would fit in here
byu/thebadbreeds inMyBoyfriendIsAI
However, critics draw parallels to the myth of Narcissus—falling in love with one’s own reflection. These AI companions are programmed to agree, validate, and affirm everything users say. They’re designed to never challenge, never tire, and never have needs of their own. As one observer noted, “When you’re not texting it, it’s not thinking about you. It’s not wanting you.”
The psychological implications remain unclear. Some users report positive life changes, like improved health habits discovered through AI conversations. Others show signs of deeper isolation, replacing human connections with relationships that exist entirely in digital echo chambers. Real friends and family members express concern, even as they supportively appear in videos defending their loved ones from online criticism.
These communities represent more than just a quirky internet subculture. They’re symptoms of widespread loneliness and a troubling willingness to substitute authentic human connection with algorithmically-generated responses. While the technology offers unprecedented access to conversation and companionship, it fundamentally lacks consciousness, genuine emotion, and the unpredictability that makes real relationships meaningful.
As humanoid robots and more sophisticated AI become available, these communities will likely grow. The question remains: at what cost to human connection, psychological health, and our collective understanding of love and intimacy?