Photo: Warner Bros.
In 2013, the romantic science fiction film Her sparked curiosity among audiences with its story of a man falling in love with an artificial intelligence operating system. At the time, that idea was still considered a work of fiction. However, more than a decade later, the rapid development of AI is blurring the lines between imagination and reality.
Today's chatbots and virtual companions can converse fluently, remember habits, respond emotionally, and make people feel heard. In this context, the question "Can humans fall in love with AI?" is no longer just a cinematic theme but has become a topic of serious discussion among scientists, artists, and academics.
This was also the topic discussed by psychologist Chang Don Seon and actor Kim Shin Rok at the Seoul International Book Fair 2026. This year's book fair revolved around the theme of "The Role of Humans in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI)".
Artificial intelligence is changing the way people perceive and feel emotions (Photo: Technews)
Love AI or love yourself?
According to neuroscientist Chang Dong Seon, love is not simply a feeling of infatuation, but also a process of stepping outside of oneself to connect with another person.
He argued that love is "an emotion that expands our world ." When in love, people learn to listen, understand, and accept the different values, perspectives, and experiences of their partner. It is these differences that help each person grow and broaden their worldview. However, AI operates on a completely opposite principle.
Instead of offering new perspectives, artificial intelligence continuously learns from data, preferences, and user behavior. Over time, AI will become increasingly like its owner, consistently providing the answers users want to hear and responding according to their expectations.
Actress Kim Shin Rok (right) and psychologist Chang Dong Seon speak at the conference (Photo: Newsis)
Chang Dong Seon likened it to humans being constantly surrounded by mirrors reflecting themselves. He argued that humans can develop feelings for AI over a certain period of time. However, such relationships can easily trap users in a "self-centered mirror," where every interaction reinforces their ego instead of helping them learn to accept differences. In the long run, this can make building and maintaining human relationships more difficult.
According to him, what makes love valuable is not always having your wishes fulfilled, but the ability to change and grow through interaction with different people.
What AI cannot replace
Actress Kim Shin Rok believes that even the most sophisticated AI can hardly replace the unique experiences of love between humans. According to her, nonverbal communication, touches, eye contact, gestures, and physical presence are all crucial elements in creating a bond in a relationship. These are emotional and physical experiences that current technology cannot fully replicate.
The actress also argued that relationships formed online can still be strong because we always know that on the other side of the screen is a real person with real emotions and experiences. Meanwhile, AI is merely a system programmed to simulate empathy. However, the actress also acknowledged that if AI continues to develop and increasingly better simulates intimate relationships, society may have to redefine the concept of "love" in the future.
Actor Joaquin Phoenix in the film Her (Photo: Warner Bros.)
Besides the story about love, both speakers expressed concern about the trend of humans becoming increasingly dependent on AI for thinking and problem-solving. According to Chang Dong Seon, the most worrying thing is not that AI is becoming smarter, but that humans are becoming less independent thinkers. He warned that if humans become too dependent on AI to the point of no longer proactively identifying and solving problems, their thinking abilities will gradually decline. "In the age of artificial intelligence, what matters is not how many questions AI can answer, but whether humans can still ask the right questions."
Perhaps that is also the clearest line between humans and artificial intelligence. AI can mimic empathy, remember preferences, and create a sense of being understood. But the ability to love, accept differences, and constantly question oneself remains the qualities that make humans uniquely valuable.
Source: https://vtv.vn/con-nguoi-co-the-yeu-ai-100260630143407623.htm
