AI Girlfriends Are Rewriting Romance—and Rewinding Feminism
Erica Schwartzberg for Marie Claire
Men are increasingly turning to AI girlfriends to fulfil their emotional and sexual desires. What they’re getting, I’m told, is a “perfect” partner, but by “perfect” they mean someone who never pushes back, never changes, and never asks for anything in return. Experts worry the boom in AI girlfriends reinforces the notion that women should be endlessly empathetic and emotionally (and sexually) available. It’s love without friction and femininity without autonomy—welcome to the world of AI girlfriends.
Psychotherapist Erica Schwartzberg warns that this illusion “may dull the skills of attuning to non-verbal cues, tolerating ambiguity, or navigating the complex emotional choreography of real relationships.”
Like all algorithmically-driven technology, AI girlfriends tend to conform to what sells and what sells is hyper-feminised personas, customisable behaviours, and unwavering affirmation.
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