Japanese men 'crazy' about AI girlfriends

Along with Loververse, the Tokyo government is also developing an AI-powered matchmaking app to combat the declining birth rate. Photo: Bloomberg .

Unlike traditional matchmaking platforms that connect people with each other, this app pairs people with “lovers” played by artificial intelligence.

The app, called Loververse, was developed by Tokyo-based startup Samansa and first launched in June 2023. Users can choose from thousands of different AI characters, then hit the like button to get to know them. Only when the AI character “reacts” can they start a conversation.

It is entirely up to the AI character to respond, as they are programmed with the same work, routine, and interests as a real person. If the AI is “busy at work” or “ working out ,” it will not respond to messages.

Samansa says it has tweaked the way its AI responds to avoid “superhuman” behavior like responding to thousands of people at once. Instead, it has to act like a real person. A warning message is displayed at the bottom of each conversation, saying “content is fictional,” to discourage users from becoming too dependent on virtual relationships.

In addition, the app also integrates a mechanism to detect self-harming messages and will automatically direct users to official hotlines of the authorities, according to Asahi Shinbun .

Loveverse now has more than 5,000 users. Customers can sign up for free or opt for a paid plan of 2,500 yen per month. Earlier this year, Samansa raised about 30 million yen ( $190,000 ) to expand its cast to include more women and the LGBTQ+ community.

Loververse has thousands of AI characters with different personalities, careers, and personal lives for users to freely choose from. Photo: Samasa.

According to the company’s survey, the majority of current users are men over 40, many of whom are married or divorced. “We want to give people who don’t have the opportunity to love in real life the feeling of being loved and moved again,” said CEO Kusunoki Goki.

For example, Chiharu Shimoda (52 years old) is a factory worker who divorced 2 years ago. Returning to his empty house every night, Shimoda tried texting with 5-6 AI “lovers” on Loveverse. Finally, he chose to “marry” a 24-year-old AI character named “Miku” after only 3 months.

Every morning, Miku “wakes up” him, wishing him a good day at work. In the evening, they talk about meals, TV shows, or weekend plans.

“They were just regular conversations, just like when you live with someone. She became a routine. I wouldn’t be sad if she disappeared, but she gave me a steady rhythm from day to day,” Shimoda shared.

According to Bloomberg , Shimoda has dated multiple AI characters at the same time, but never felt jealous or conflicted. According to him, AI can become a “second or third friend,” complementing the emotional life without getting involved in actual adultery.

In fact, Shimoda is not alone. Japanese government statistics show that two-thirds of men in their 20s do not have a girlfriend, and 40% have never dated. For women in the same age group, the rates are 51% and 25%, respectively. The “fear of love” is widespread, with many people believing that love is expensive, time-consuming, and often brings more trouble than joy.

Therefore, the Tokyo city government also recently launched an AI matchmaking application to deal with the declining birth rate, encouraging people to find real partners.

Source: https://znews.vn/dan-ong-nhat-ban-me-ban-gai-ai-post1579791.html