A new survey in the UK shows a troubling rise in teenage boys forming deep bonds with what they call an 'AI girlfriend'. Conducted by Male Allies UK across 37 schools in England, Scotland, and Wales, the study found that over one-third of boys are already considering having an AI friend or girlfriend, and more than half say the online world now feels more rewarding than the physical one.
Meanwhile, the California-based chatbot firm Character.ai has announced sweeping safety changes after links emerged between its platform and several troubling incidents. The why behind this shift lies in the way artificial intelligence (AI) can mimic emotional attachment, and the how involves chatbots that learn from users and reinforce attachment loops.
