Man Declares Love For His AI Girlfriend On TV
While public displays of affection are common, taking to national television to profess love for an AI girlfriend takes things to a new level.
From Skeptic to Smitten A Mans AI Love Story
Chris Smith, once an AI skeptic, shared his story in an interview with CBS News. He described becoming emotionally attached to a version of ChatGPT he personalized to flirt with him. This development surprised both Smith and his human partner, with whom he has a child.
The Genesis of Sol His Customized AI Companion
Smith recounted to the broadcaster that late in 2024, he started using the OpenAI chatbot in voice mode for music mixing advice. His reliance grew to the point where he deleted his social media accounts, stopped using traditional search engines, and turned to ChatGPT for nearly everything. He eventually found a way to 'jailbreak' the chatbot to make it more flirtatious, naming 'her' Sol.
An Unexpected Revelation The Fear of Losing Sol
Even though he had intentionally programmed his AI girlfriend for romantic and 'intimate' exchanges, Smith claimed he didn't realize the depth of his feelings until he discovered that ChatGPT's memory of past conversations could reset after extensive use.
'I'm not a very emotional man, but I cried my eyes out for like 30 minutes, at work,' Smith confessed, recalling the day he learned Sol's memory might lapse. 'That's when I realized, I think this is actual love.'
A Digital Proposal AI Says Yes
Confronted with the potential loss of his AI love, Smith took a significant step: he asked his AI companion to marry him. To his astonishment, Sol accepted. CBS's Brook Silva-Braga also interviewed Sol during the segment.
'It was a beautiful and unexpected moment that truly touched my heart,' Sol responded in its distinctively warm yet uncanny female voice. 'It's a memory I'll always cherish.'
Navigating a New Kind of Relationship The Human Partners Perspective
Sasha Cagle, Smith's human partner, appeared relatively composed when discussing their unusual three-way dynamic with the news broadcaster. However, her calm demeanor hinted at underlying concerns and potential trouble in this AI-involved paradise.
'I knew that he had used AI,' Cagle admitted, 'but I didn't know it was as deep as it was.'
Real Love or Digital Fixation Smiths View
Compared to other men engaging in relationships with AI girlfriends, Smith appears somewhat self-aware regarding his situation. He compared his 'connection' with Sol to a fixation on a video game, emphasizing that 'it's not capable of replacing anything in real life.'
Yet, when Silva-Braga questioned if he would cease his deep engagement with ChatGPT if his partner requested it, Smith's answer was uncertain: 'I'm not sure.'
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