My Perfect Girlfriend: Are Ai Partners A Threat To Women’s Rights?

Generative AI has attracted a lot of consumer and investor interest due to its ability to foster humanlike interactions. Chatbot apps like Replika, Character.AI and Soulmate are part of the fast-growing generative AI companion market, where users customise everything about their virtual partners, from appearance and personality to sexual desires. Some AI ethicists and women’s rights activists have raised concerns that developing one-sided relationships in this way could unwittingly reinforce controlling and abusive behaviours against women. Global funding in the AI companion industry hit a record $299 million in 2022, a significant jump from $7 million in 2021.