370,000 adults in Ireland have engaged in romantic relationships with AI chatbots, survey claims.
Irish adults have found artificially intelligent (AI) chatbots to be an unexpected source of emotional connection.
A new survey from Pure Telecom has revealed that approximately 370,000 adults in Ireland have conducted a romantic relationship with an AI chatbot in the past 12 months.
“While relationships with bots may seem unconventional, it underscores the remarkable capacity of artificial intelligence to foster connections as it becomes increasingly responsive to our needs”
The findings are part of the company’s annual Connected Lives survey, which explores how people interact with technology in their daily lives. The research, carried out by Censuswide on behalf of Pure Telecom, surveyed 1,001 adults across Ireland.
It found that 9% of respondents had formed romantic connections with AI chatbots such as ChatGPT or Gemini. These relationships are typically built through regular conversations and emotional exchanges, with users developing a sense of attachment to the chatbot.
AI gets personal
The survey also found that 13% of men reported having a romantic relationship with an AI chatbot in the past year, compared to 7% of women. Among age groups, the highest engagement was seen in the 25 to 34-year-old category, where 16% reported such experiences.
Looking ahead, 12% of adults said they would not rule out the possibility of a romantic relationship with an AI chatbot in the future. Additionally, 20% of respondents believe that romantic relationships with AI are or would be less complicated than those with human partners. One in ten said they view AI relationships as a useful way to practice for real-life relationships, with this view more common among men at 16% compared to 6% of women.
The survey also highlighted broader trends in how people interact with AI. 19% of adults said they speak to AI like it is a friend, while 36% reported saying “please” and “thank you” during interactions. Eighteen% use AI to research health symptoms and treatments, and one in ten use it for therapy or life advice. The same proportion use AI to prepare for difficult conversations, such as breakups or confrontations.
Paul Connell, CEO of Pure Telecom, commented on the findings. “This research highlights the pivotal role that AI is beginning to play not just in our professional lives, but our personal ones also. As people and technology become increasingly integrated, and AI becomes progressively more advanced, adults in Ireland have found it to be an unexpected source of emotional connection. The recent AI boom means that these bots are now readily accessible to all of us, and there’s no agony of waiting around for a reply.”
Connell added: “While relationships with bots may seem unconventional, it underscores the remarkable capacity of artificial intelligence to foster connections as it becomes increasingly responsive to our needs. The use of these large language models requires fast, reliable internet access and as a provider of this, we at Pure Telecom are excited by the possibilities that AI unlocks. However, it is no replacement for the rewarding spontaneity and depth of human connection.”
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