AI Girlfriends Are Already Making the Dating Scene Harder, Therapists Warn

Artificial intelligence is changing how Americans date, and therapists are warning it could impact how we connect and experience intimacy.

AI companions, often referred to as "AI girlfriends" or "AI partners," are already altering expectations around dating by offering a form of connection that removes many of the emotional risks of real relationships.

A recent study from Vantage Point Counseling found that 28.16 percent of U.S. adults say they have had at least one intimate or romantic relationship with an AI, while more than half report some kind of relationship with an AI system.

However, for many, especially the younger generation, this could be a massive cause of alarm, therapists warn.

"AI girlfriends and boyfriends do not set a realistic standard for a healthy relationship in a human being who might be interested," Alexandra Cromer, a licensed professional counselor with Thriveworks, told Newsweek. "AI boyfriends and girlfriends sell a fantasy or a narrative of reality that is not based in any sort of real, grounded reality and healthy interpersonal connections."

Why It Matters

The rise of AI romance could signal a deeper shift in how people experience connection and what they expect from relationships.

AI companions are designed to be responsive, agreeable and emotionally available at all times. That can make them feel more satisfying in the short term, but therapists say it may distort expectations of real partners, who inevitably bring their own needs, limitations and boundaries.

What To Know

Therapists say the appeal of an AI companion is straightforward: AI partners can simulate connection without the unpredictability of human behavior.

"AI partners can feel easier because they give people a sense of connection without the same fear of rejection," Dr. Michael Salas, licensed professional counselor-supervisor at Vantage Point Counseling, said in the study.

Unlike human relationships, AI interactions offer immediate responses and constant availability as well as consistent validation and attention.

There's also an additional control over tone and personality that people can choose for their AI, and above all, the relationship offers minimal risk of rejection or conflict, unlike the messy reality of human relationships.

"The appeal of an AI partner is that you can have immediate access and ultimately control over your romantic partner; in essence, you can make sure that all of your needs are met. It’s a very one-sided relationship and the AI partner doesn’t require anything from you; which we know to be unfair, unhealthy, and un-balanced in human dating relationships," Cromer said.

"There is great potential for this to negatively impact America/society at large psychologically due to these unrealistic standards."

A Shift in Dating Expectations

While AI partners can feel like an easier alternative, it also creates problems for real life in connection because in comparison, real-world dating will feel difficult, Salas said.

"Dating teaches people that attraction is not control," Salas said. "If someone gets used to romantic connection where the other side is always available and adjustable, real dating can start to feel unnecessarily difficult."

Exposure to "frictionless" relationships may reshape how people approach intimacy, particularly for younger users who are still learning how to date.

Human relationships typically involve mismatched expectations, emotional discomfort and rejection, but these are experiences therapists say are essential for building relational skills.

"The long-term risk is less about tech and more about atrophy," generational expert and HR consultant Bryan Driscoll told Newsweek. "When something meets your emotional needs without pushing back and accepting whatever you’re throwing at it, your tolerance for the messiness of real relationships can erode."

AI, in many cases, can smooth over all those challenges.

"If someone starts comparing real partners to a system designed to respond perfectly, real intimacy can look flawed," Salas said.

That dynamic could make it harder for singles to tolerate the realities of dating, from awkward first dates to communication breakdowns and emotional vulnerability.

Not Just a Single-Person Trend

The recent studies suggest AI romance is not limited to people who are lonely or disengaged from dating.

In fact, the Vantage Point study found that people in committed relationships are also exploring AI intimacy, complicating traditional ideas about exclusivity and fidelity.

Of those in the study having an intimate or romantic relationship with artificial intelligence, up to 53.34 percent were currently in a successful committed relationship of some form with another human. That raises new questions for couples.

"The question couples need to ask is not only, ‘Did anything physical happen?'" Salas said. "They also need to ask, ‘Are we keeping emotional or sexual intimacy hidden from each other?'"

Teens Are Growing Up With AI Relationships

The shift may be even more significant among younger generations.

A different Vantage Point Counseling poll showed 72 percent of U.S. teens have used an AI companion at least once, and roughly one in three report using them for social interaction, including emotional support or romantic-style conversations.

Therapists say that matters because adolescence is when people learn how to navigate real relationships.

"AI can feel like the perfect listener to a teenager," Salas said. "It responds right away, it does not look disappointed… that can feel safer than talking to a parent."

While that accessibility can provide comfort, experts warn it may limit opportunities to develop real-world social skills if it becomes a substitute for human connection.

“Long-term implications can include increased isolation/frustration with dating as well as difficulties with someone being able to practice discernment in their search for a human dating partner,” Cromer said.

As AI companions become more advanced, therapists say the key issue may not be whether people can form emotional bonds with technology but whether human relationships can compete with a system designed to never argue, never reject and never demand to be understood in return.

“This has the potential to also increase self-criticism and shape beauty and emotional standards to a further unrealistic place than they already are in society,” Cromer said. “Forcing potential human partners to compete with technology that’s highly tailored and structured will always be a doomed outcome.”

What Happens Next

AI companion platforms are continuing to grow, with millions of users already engaging with chatbots designed for friendship and romance.

"What I’d watch is a generation and a workforce getting fluent in relationships that demand nothing, then struggling with the ones that demand everything," Driscoll said. "A society that outsources its connection is harder to engage, harder to retain, and lonelier than any metric will show."

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This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 2:12 PM.