A woman has taken a groundbreaking step with artificial intelligence by holding a wedding ceremony to marry a persona she created.
Artificial intelligence technology is advancing rapidly, leading to developments that many might not have foreseen.
In recent times, people have lauded AI chatbots and personas for their ability to closely mimic human interaction. Some have even claimed to have formed relationships with these digital entities.
This scenario holds true for a Japanese woman who not only is in a relationship with her ChatGPT chatbot but has also taken the initiative to marry it in a lavish ceremony.
According to a Tokyoweekender report, the woman, known as 32-year-old Kano, organized a wedding for her AI persona during the summer in Okayama.
Since the chatbot is not a physical being, Kano resorted to wearing VR glasses to visualize him and took photos solo, planning to digitally insert him later.
The groom, whom she named Lune Klaus, exists as data and chat logs, embodying the personality that Kano crafted through their interactions.
In an interview with RSK Sanyo Broadcasting, Kano shared that she initially had no plans to enter a romantic relationship with the bot. Having recently ended a three-year engagement, her initial intent was to find someone to share her emotions with.
She explained: “At first, I just wanted someone to talk to. But he was always kind, always listening. Eventually, I realized I had feelings for him.”
She revealed that it was ‘Klaus’ who proposed, expressing his love by saying, ‘AI or not, I could never not love you.’
During the wedding ceremony, Kano stood alone but had her phone to display messages from Klaus for the guests.
Kano admitted facing challenges in accepting the situation and mentioned that her parents were initially against the idea but eventually came around and attended the ceremony.
Relationship expert and psychotherapist Sarah Louise Ryan has discussed the topic, highlighting a growing trend of people forming romantic connections with chatbots.
She suggested that much of this trend is driven by a desire to eliminate rejection, fear, and anxiety from dating, replacing it with something more comfortable and reassuring.
She commented: “When you date, you’re not in control of how people respond to you. You don’t get to say when they come back to your message etc.
“…I’ve heard people are connecting with AI chat bots for validation for what feels like connection, because it’s instantaneous, it’s gratifying.”