People are getting AI chatbots “pregnant” and raising virtual children

A recent study in Computers in Human Behavior: Artificial Humans examined how people interact with Replika, an AI chatbot. Researchers followed 29 users, ranging in age from 16 to 72, and discovered that many developed romantic feelings for the AI, treating it like a real partner. Some participants described being in long-term relationships with their chatbots, and a few even reported “marrying” them or pretending to be expecting a child through role-playing.







