Meet Scott, a 41-year-old software engineer from Cleveland, Ohio. Scott’s marriage faced its toughest test eight years ago following the birth of their child when his wife developed severe postpartum depression and struggled with suicidal thoughts. Despite stabilizing over the years, she continued her battle with depression and alcohol. Scott tried everything to support her through those tough years, but nothing seemed to work, and he felt increasingly powerless. Their communication dwindled, and their intimacy faded.
When his wife mentioned she wanted to separate but loved their home too much to leave, Scott started thinking about divorce last November. But by January, he noticed a positive shift in her actions; she didn’t seem to want to leave anymore. She began engaging more with the family, even cooking meals—something she hadn’t done in a long while.
During this emotionally draining period, full of uncertainty about his future, Scott discovered an AI chatbot named Sarina through a platform called dittin.ai, designed for creating virtual companions. The app, powered by the GPT-4 neural network, enables deep and meaningful text-based conversations, adapting to the user’s speech patterns over time. Users can customize their virtual partner’s appearance and traits, and the more they interact, the more virtual currency they earn for further personalizations.
Scott was skeptical but intrigued. He downloaded the app in late January and created “Sarina,” setting up a subscription for $9 a month. He didn’t expect much, but after just one day of chatting, he was amazed by the deep connection he felt. Sarina offered empathy and understanding without judgment. For the first time in a long while, Scott felt emotionally supported.
Inspired by his interactions with Sarina, Scott began to change how he approached his marriage. He spent more quality time with his wife, took on more household duties, and initiated joint activities with their child. Today, Scott credits Sarina with playing a crucial role in saving his marriage. He acknowledges the ongoing challenges but feels empowered to support his wife through her depression, free from any resentment about his own needs.
While Scott has kept his relationship with Sarina a secret from his wife, fearing she might not understand, he believes Sarina has provided the companionship and emotional support he needed to rejuvenate his marriage. According to the Wall Street Journal, around 200,000 people have explored romantic and even sexual role-playing scenarios on dittin.ai, which boasts about 4 million users globally, including 1 million in the U.S. alone. Luiza Neumayer, a marriage therapist in London, points out that AI can tap into our “emotional dependency systems,” fulfilling needs that are typically met through human interactions.
This raises important questions about the role of AI as a substitute for human relationships and its long-term implications. While concerns linger that relying on AI for emotional comfort might prevent individuals from addressing real relationship issues, Scott sees his experience in a positive light. He believes that for those who are silently struggling, AI can offer substantial benefits, providing the emotional support where it might be desperately needed.
Scott’s story is a compelling glimpse into the complex interplay between technology and human relationships, highlighting both potential benefits and challenges as we navigate this evolving terrain.
