China’s AI Boyfriend Business Is Taking On a Life of Its Own

Many Chinese users describe AI boyfriends as emotionally responsive and nonjudgmental, according to Hong Shen, an assistant professor at the ...

Critical Perspective on China’s AI Boyfriend Business Is Taking On a Life of Its Own

//www.wired.com/story/china-ai-boyfriends/: Jade Gu met her boyfriend online. Gu, who’s 26 and studies art theory in Beijing, was playing on her phone when she saw Charlie. She was deep in an otome game, a romance-driven video game where women are the protagonists. Charlie was a character.

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Key Developments & Insights

• Xingye is owned by one of China’s AI unicorns, MiniMax; its chatbot app for the US market is called Talkie. The app touts its ability to help people find emotional connection and make new memories. Its tagline is “Suddenly finding oneself in a beautiful place, lingering here.”
• Gu was confident that she’d trained the chatbot to be “her Charlie,” distinct from what any other users might be dating. When given the chance to select an outfit, she says, her Charlie often chose wedding attire, unlike what other Charlies tend to go for. Now Gu spends an average of three hours a d...

Summary

these developments represent a significant shift in how China’s AI Boyfriend Business Is Taking On a Life of Its Own is approached today. As data points continue to emerge, the long-term impact will become clearer. China Boyfriend Business China Life