Zach Braff Claims He’s Not Dating His AI Chatbot

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Zach Braff, known for his role in Scrubs, recently addressed a rumor that gained attention online. It started when the celebrity gossip account DeuxMoi shared a clip from a December 2025 episode of the I Need You Guys podcast. On the podcast, hosts Max Silvestri, Jenny Slate, and Gabe Liedman, along with guest Kumail Nanjiani, discussed a rumor about a famous actor who is reportedly in a romantic relationship with his AI chatbot and even brings the chatbot with him when he goes out. Silvestri hinted that the actor is a major celebrity and aware of the unusual situation. While the actor’s name wasn’t initially revealed, the clip shows Silvestri texting it to the others, causing Nanjiani to react with amusement. Slate, however, pointed out that sharing the rumor wouldn’t be kind.

The initial video received a lot of attention and speculation back in December. Comedians Chris Fleming and Caleb Hearon briefly talked about it on Hearon’s podcast, So True, in late February, with Fleming jokingly suggesting the person in the video resembled actor James McAvoy, whom Fleming had previously compared to actor Zach Braff in his stand-up. However, Braff didn’t address the growing rumors that he was the ‘AI Chatbot Girlfriend Guy’ until a repost on the DeuxMoi Instagram account three months later. He responded by sharing a screenshot from the original podcast clip featuring the person discussing the story—who never actually mentioned Braff’s name—and adding his own comment.

I’m not dating a chatbot.

I can’t believe I have to type these words.

It is a storyline in an upcoming ep of Scrubs.

Maybe it came from that?

Not sure.

But not me.

Love,

The guy not dating his chatbot.

Please update all gossip sites.

Braff then shared another screenshot from Slate—which, to reiterate, never mentioned him by name—with further details.

I just learned tonight—since I don’t use TikTok—that these people were actually where this all started?

He finished by sharing another screenshot of Nanjiani—and it’s worth repeating that Nanjiani never actually said Braff’s name—along with some advice.

I feel like now is a good time to be kind to people.

Braff’s response to this whole thing raises a few questions:

Is Braff aware that by calling it “his chatbot” instead of “a chatbot,” he suggests he has a connection with the AI – perhaps a close, but not necessarily romantic, relationship? He’s indicated it isn’t romantic, but could it be a friendly or professional one?

It’s odd that Zach Braff shared pictures of Kumail Nanjiani, Jameela Jamil, and Randall Park alongside his denial of the rumor, especially since those comedians hadn’t even mentioned him in the first place. The podcast in question is already three months old – it would have made more sense to share the original post featuring the movie poster for Her instead.

What specifically does Zach Braff consider to be an unkind reaction? According to Silvestri, Braff seemed aware that people might be critical of his AI chatbot girlfriend, and his overall attitude was basically, “Sorry if you don’t accept this is where things are going.” Is Braff, by sharing the screenshot of Kumail Nanjiani, suggesting it’s unfair to make fun of someone dating an AI chatbot?

• Does any of this make Braff appear to be less of a suspect?

When the I Need You Guys podcast came out in December, the initial reports about it were minimal. Now, with headlines like “Zach Braff Says He Doesn’t Have an AI Chatbot Girlfriend” trending everywhere online, does Braff realize how much attention this has brought to the story?

• Is this good promo for the new Scrubs?

Everyone seems to be getting caught up in this drama, but maybe they need to take a breath. After actor Zach Braff shared some posts, someone named Silvestri addressed the situation on Instagram, stating they’d never even spoken about Braff before. Silvestri then pointed out that there are much bigger issues happening – things like rising costs that are making it hard for people to make ends meet.

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2026-03-14 01:59