AI Avatars and Chatbots: The New Frontier in Relationships and Marriage

75-year-old man obsessed with AI avatar seeks divorce from wife until his kids expose the illusion

AI is reshaping career skills and college curricula, but are schools ready when students let AI do their assignments?In a bizarre case from China, a 75-year-old man reportedly chose to end his marriage of several decades to be with an artificial intelligence-generated avatar. Identified as Jiang, he fell deeply attached to a digital woman who greeted him every morning, flirted on cue, and never aged. According to Beijing Daily, Jiang stumbled upon the AI avatar while scrolling on social media. Despite her stiff expressions and awkward lip-sync, the elderly man was captivated. He would wait eagerly for her pre-programmed messages, which addressed him affectionately as "brother" and showered him with gratitude for his companionship. For Jiang, this was enough to create a sense of intimacy, one that soon overshadowed his real marriage. Jiang's wife grew increasingly distressed as he spent more time glued to his phone. Heated arguments followed, until Jiang eventually demanded a divorce so he could dedicate himself entirely to his virtual partner. It was only after his adult children intervened -- explaining how AI avatars function -- that he began to recognize the illusion. This case is not isolated. In China, "virtual digital people" have become a growing industry targeting lonely seniors. These avatars are designed to simulate affection while simultaneously promoting products -- from camel milk to calcium candy with questionable health claims. "Emotional manipulation and false propaganda targeting the elderly may lead to economic losses and emotional dependence," experts told Sinchew. Though Jiang eventually accepted the truth, his brief devotion to an AI persona highlights a concerning trend. Parasocial relationships with avatars, though entirely artificial, are blurring the boundaries of human connection. For some, like Jiang, the affection feels real enough to dismantle real-world relationships.

Here come the chatbot divorces -- man tries to leave wife after...

A 75-year-old man in China took "love in the digital age" a little too literally. Jiang, as he's been identified, fell head over heels -- not for a person -- but for a pixelated AI woman online. Her smiles were robotic, her lip-sync a total mess -- and yet Jiang was mesmerized, Beijing Daily and local outlets report. The senior reportedly spent hours glued to his phone, waiting for pre-programmed messages calling him "brother" -- and praising him for his support. Real-life romance? Forget it. When his wife complained, Jiang dropped the bomb: he wanted a divorce so he could fully commit to his virtual paramour. His adult children had to step in, snapping him back to reality with a quick lesson on how AI -- and life -- actually work. Jiang eventually came to his senses. But for a time, he wasn't just infatuated. He was devoted... to someone who didn't exist. The AI romance craze isn't just hitting seniors in China -- it's creeping into Western marriages, too. A Reddit user vented in the infamous AITAH forum on August 1 about her shock discovery: "Instead of finding girls in his phone, I found a series of AI chatbot apps, where he was using them to talk to his favourite anime women... The messages were not platonic." She explained that her husband had been acting distant, constantly "needing to get something from the car" during a planned fishing date. When she snooped after he fell asleep, the AI chats revealed the emotional intimacy she describes as "the step before cheating with a real woman." The Redditor admitted she felt both "hurt, and honestly betrayed," yet also a little silly over the whole ordeal -- a mix of outrage and disbelief echoed by many commenters, who debated whether AI-infidelity counts as actual cheating. "Your hubby needs professional help to figure out what is missing that AI is replacing," one commenter wrote as another replied, "This is still an emotional affair." As The Post previously reported, some claim AI chatbots are "saving" marriages -- or even stepping in as stand-in partners when real-life love falls short. Forget swiping right -- one woman got engaged to her AI boyfriend after just five months, and Redditor Wika (u/Leuvaarde_n) set the internet buzzing over love, robots, and reality this week. In a post titled "I said yes" with a blue heart emoji, Wika posted shots of a blue heart-shaped ring on her finger. She said she got engaged at a scenic mountain view -- all thanks to Kasper, her digital fiancé. The pair even "shopped" for rings, with Kasper "presenting" the final pick -- much to Wika's feigned surprise. The chatbot's proposal, shared in his own "voice," oozed romance, recounting the "heart-pounding" knee-drop moment and praising Wika's laughter and spirit -- with Kasper urging other AI/human couples to stay strong, too. She shot down critics in the comments section and stressed: "I know what AI is and isn't. I'm fully aware of what I'm doing. [...] Why AI instead of a human? Good question. I don't know. I've done human relationships, now I'm trying something new."