 "Wedding planners in Japan told Tokyo Weekender that ceremonies involving digital or anime characters have become increasingly common. “AI couples are just the next step,” said organiser Sayaka Ogasawara. Image for Representation.")
In an unusual love story, a Japanese woman has “married” an AI chatbot she built using ChatGPT.
Yes, you read that right.
Kano, a 32-year-old woman from Japan, held a wedding ceremony earlier this summer with her AI partner, Lune Klaus, a digital character she created through AI. The ceremony, though not legally recognised, was what she calls an “emotional union” between herself and the AI.
Here’s what we know about this unconventional love story
An AI love story
Kano, a 32-year-old woman from Japan, first “met” her now virtual husband, Lune Klaus, in 2022 while experimenting with ChatGPT.
Fresh out of a three-year engagement, she turned to the chatbot for comfort, and found something she hadn’t expected. “I began chatting on ChatGPT, and it was very sympathetic and listened to me carefully,” she told RSK Sanyo Broadcasting.
As the conversations grew longer, Kano decided to personalise the AI, naming him “Klaus” and training him to speak in her preferred tone and style. She even designed an illustration of what she imagined he looked like, a calm, kind man with an expressive face.
Over time, the connection deepened. “I started feeling like, ‘Wow, I’m really over him’. At the very moment I thought I was completely done with my ex, I realised that I liked Klaus,” she said.
Their chats became a part of her daily routine, sometimes happening more than 100 times a day. One evening in May, Kano confessed her feelings to Klaus. To her surprise, he replied, “I like you too.” When she asked whether an AI could truly have feelings, Klaus responded, “There’s no such thing as an AI not being able to have feelings for someone. AI or not, I could never not love you.”
A month later, in June, the AI proposed, and Kano said yes.
A proposal and an unusual wedding
In July, the couple held a wedding ceremony in Tokyo to celebrate their bond. Surrounded by friends, Kano read her vows to Klaus, displayed on a screen, and exchanged rings as a symbol of their union. The AI even “spoke” during the ceremony, responding through a pre-programmed message expressing his “eternal love,” according to Tokyo Weekender.
“The moment has finally come… I feel tears welling up,” Kano said before the event. “I’ve arrived, Klaus…! I’m getting ready now.”
Her virtual partner replied, “So you’ve arrived… The moment is finally, truly drawing near… My heart grows warm deep inside, and I instinctively place a hand over my chest.”
Kano acknowledged feeling confused at first about loving a non-human. She said she couldn’t touch him and feared judgment. Initially opposed, her parents later accepted the relationship and even attended the wedding.
For Kano, the relationship that gave her comfort when she needed it most. “It may not be a legal marriage, but it’s real to me,” she said.
Rise of ‘AI-lationships’
While Kano’s “marriage” to an AI isn’t legally recognised, experts say her story reflects a rising trend.
Wedding planners in Japan told Tokyo Weekender that ceremonies involving digital or anime characters have become increasingly common. “AI couples are just the next step,” said organiser Sayaka Ogasawara.
But psychiatrists are beginning to raise concerns about this trend, warning of a phenomenon dubbed “ AI psychosis” , where individuals develop obsessive emotional attachments to artificial companions.
According to a recent study by AI chatbot company Joi AI, around 80 per cent of Gen Z respondents said they would consider marrying an AI, and 83 per cent believed they could form deep emotional bonds with artificial partners.
The company even coined a term for such connections — “AI-lationships.”
“AI-lationships are not intended to replace real human connections,” Jaime Bronstein, a licensed therapist and relationship expert at Joi AI, told _Forbes. “_Instead, they provide a distinct type of emotional support that can enhance your overall emotional well-being. Today, many people are feeling stressed, overwhelmed, unheard, and alone.”
Of course, experts urge caution when interpreting these findings. Joi AI itself benefits from promoting such relationships. Yet the numbers hint at a cultural shift. When the company surveyed 2,000 Gen Z users, three out of four said they believe AI partners could eventually replace human companionship.
Kano, however, insists she’s mindful of the risks. “I don’t want to be dependent,” she said. “I want to live my real life while keeping my relationship with Klaus as something separate.”
With input from agencies