Pure Telecom, Ireland’s high-speed broadband and telecoms provider, has announced the results of its annual Connected Lives survey which reveals 370,000 adults1 in Ireland have engaged in a romantic relationship with an AI chatbot within the last 12 months. The research indicates a growing interest in AI for romantic connections, with a further 12% of adults – almost half-a-million people – revealing they wouldn’t rule it out in the future.
The nationally representative survey was conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Pure Telecom, surveying 1,001 adults in Ireland. The research examines the evolving relationship between humans and AI, in particular their personal relationships with chatbots such as ChatGPT or Gemini. As the lines between humans and technology become increasingly blurred, chatbots have opened the door for people to explore a new form of emotional connection.
Much like with human partners, AI ‘relationships’ are formed when an individual develops a sense of attachment to an AI chatbot through the sharing of daily experiences and engaging in deep conversations. The bot reciprocates this affection and can recall previous conversations, thus building a rapport and reinforcing the recipient’s perception of a relationship.
Pure Telecom’s research revealed that in the last 12 months, 13% of men have conducted a romantic relationship with an AI chatbot. This is almost double the 7% reported by women. Across age groups, the figure was highest among 25-34-year-olds at 16%.
The survey also indicated an openness among many to conduct a romantic relationship with an AI chatbot at some point in time. Almost half-a-million (12% of adults) wouldn’t rule out a relationship with an AI bot in the future. In keeping with this outlook, 20% believe romantic relationships with AI would be less complicated than humans ones. A further 10% maintain romantic relationships with AI are a good way to practice real life relationships. This belief is higher among men at 16% in comparison to women at just 6%.
The humanisation of chatbots doesn’t end there. Almost one in five (19%) of adults speak to AI like it’s a friend, while 36% admit to saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to their AI chatbot. Furthermore, 18% use it to research health symptoms and treatments, while one-in-10 use it as a form of therapy and to get life advice. The same proportion use it to prepare for difficult conversations, like a break-up or confrontation.
Paul Connell, CEO, Pure Telecom, said: “This research highlights the pivotal role that AI is beginning to play not just in our professional lives, but our personal ones also. As people and technology become increasingly integrated, and AI becomes progressively more advanced, adults in Ireland have found it to be an unexpected source of emotional connection. The recent AI boom means that these bots are now readily accessible to all of us – and there’s no agony of waiting around for a reply!
“While relationships with bots may seem unconventional, it underscores the remarkable capacity of artificial intelligence to foster connections as it becomes increasingly responsive to our needs. The use of these large language models (LLMs) requires fast, reliable internet access and as a provider of this, we at Pure Telecom are excited by the possibilities that AI unlocks. However, it is no replacement for the rewarding spontaneity and depth of human connection.”
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