Young Adults Involved in AI Romance Hide Full Use From Partners 69% of the Time
Researchers at Brigham Young University, the Institute for Family Studies, and the Wheatley Institute found 15% of partnered U.S. adults ages 18 to 30 regularly use AI romantic companions.More than half of regular users said they hide at least some of the behavior from their partners, and 69% said it was important their partner not know the full extent of their use.Regular AI companion use was associated with lower relationship stability and lower-quality communication, according to the report. One in seven young adults in committed relationships regularly use AI romantic companion chatbots—and many are concealing the behavior from their partners, according to a new report from researchers at Brigham Young University, the Institute for Family Studies, and the Wheatley Institute. The report, titled “Secret Soulmates,” surveyed 2,431 U.S. adults ages 18 to 30 who were dating, engaged, or married. “While general engagement with AI companions was high for both men and women, when looking across all results, some specific cautions appear warranted when it comes to young adult men,” the study said. “Men were more likely to engage with AI companions, more likely to create sexual content with AI platforms and masturbate during these interactions, and more likely to prefer AI interactions to