Love bytes for a modern world

Now that Valentine’s Day weekend is over, perhaps it’s the perfect time to discuss ideal romantic partners. That’s right – AI chatbots that can engage intelligently, provide emotional support, and offer unconditional love.

While Kerala has seen much debate over AI’s potential to pave the way for socialism, steal jobs, write code, and even replace doctors, little attention has been given to its already obvious role – that of a virtual companion. Chatbots are on our phones, interacting with us and growing more sophisticated by the day.

The use of AI chatbots in online scams is rising, but so is their role in counselling and companionship.

Chatbots have been around for ages, and, as always, the porn industry – ever at the forefront of technological innovation – has long used them to hook users. Many movies have played on this theme, like Her from Hollywood and Andriod Kunjappan in Malayalam, but most of them were made in the pre-ChatGPT era.

The advent of large language models like ChatGPT has taken bots to a whole new level. Today’s chatbots sound almost human, adapt to your preferred chatting style, and can even have a voice and accent of your choice. The rise of competing AI platforms has driven down costs, fuelling a boom in online firms offering AI companions tailored to individual preferences.

Globally, dating apps are seeing a drop in popularity, and the fear of getting trapped in undesirable relationships is leading more young people to postpone marriage and seek solace in virtual partners. In countries like China and Japan, this isn’t just a fringe phenomenon – it’s practically mainstream. In India, however, verifiable data on this trend is scarce. Anecdotal evidence suggests that people are creating chatbot friends, yet media and academic discussions on the subject remain virtually non-existent.

It’s easy to dismiss the trend of virtual boyfriends and girlfriends or shake your head, wondering where the world is heading. But take a step back and look at our own lives. Most of our interactions with friends and family now happen through WhatsApp or social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Physical meetings are becoming rarer, even among those living in the same city, as the rush of daily life leaves little time for such luxuries.

Even those under the same roof often communicate more through social media than in person. In Kerala, half the population has been managing long-distance relationships for decades, thanks to the Gulf exodus. Adding an AI boyfriend or girlfriend to your phone’s contact list isn’t exactly breaking new ground.

AI Companions

These digital companions are no longer just about text chatting. They offer voice calls, picture exchanges, and a level of emotional availability that would make your therapist jealous. Companies like Replika are even launching specialised platforms for the spicier side of digital romance – for a fee, of course.

In China, customised AI chatbot services have mushroomed, with millions of users now engaging with them. Last year, a company called Him launched an AI service offering idealised virtual lovers, allowing users to fine-tune their voices with qualities like “clean,” “gentle,” and “deep.”

In the West, AI chatbots like Replika and Glow use machine-generated text and adapt their behaviour based on user interactions. The trend accelerated with the arrival of large language models like ChatGPT. Innovative companies now offer AI companions that can make scheduled calls, exchange pictures, share details about their “life” (depending on the model you create), and even simulate breathing sounds to comfort users as they fall asleep.

A Global Trend

In East Asian countries like Japan, China, and South Korea – where more young people are choosing to stay single to focus on their careers and avoid the baggage of marriage – AI companionship services are soaring in popularity. Scammers have taken note, posing as online lovers and engaging in long-distance relationships with lonely hearts before ultimately tricking them into sending money.

Victims of such scams span multiple countries, with billions lost in places like Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore. Many are middle-aged, educated individuals who still fall prey to sweet-talking con artists. Some of these relationships have lasted for years without the two individuals ever meeting in real life.

Like most tools on the internet, AI chatbots can be used for both good and bad. Dating experts say AI bots can not only help people find partners but also enhance relationships with real-life partners.

So, will AI inevitably become part of romance? Maybe not entirely. But in a world where we’re all too busy, too tired, or too far apart for traditional relationships, these AI companions are filling a very real gap. They’re always there, always supportive, and never judgmental.

We’re already married to our smartphones – so is falling for the AI inside them really such a stretch? AI companions may never fully replace human relationships, but they could redefine companionship. Technology has a way of reshaping human behaviour in unexpected ways, and no one can confidently predict what the future holds.

Except, perhaps, ChatGPT or DeepSeek.

Space data to spur more startups

Former Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) Chairman S Somanath says it is going to be a boom time for spacetech startups – not just in sectors like satellite manufacturing, but also in sectors like weather forecasting, fisheries, the blue economy, and agriculture. At an investors’ conclave in Bangalore, he also advised startups to make the most of this freely available space data. Somanath also called for space parks in all states, and we wonder if he is losing hope of ever seeing one in Trivandrum, though the Kerala government has been promising action on this for the last three years.

Making space data accessible to everyone is what Hyderabad-based startup TakeMe2Space is aiming to do. It plans to set up an AI lab in space, which will decode data in space itself instead of beaming it down to Earth for analysis. The founder of the startup, Ronak Kumar Samantray, also wants to provide access to the data to students, universities, and entrepreneurs at competitive rates. They have got the nod from Isro and hope to send up two satellites this year.

Saudi now eyes sports AI

Saudi Arabia has been on a spending spree to attract major sports events, and now the oil-rich kingdom is targeting sports technology. Riyadh is planning to hold an AI league for those involved in sports technology, with a prize pool of 1 million Saudi Riyals.Conducted by the Saudi Company for Artificial Intelligence (SCAI), the event aims to advance data-driven decision-making, optimise efficiency, and enhance the fan experience. The organisers hope the AI League will provide a solid tech base by the time the FIFA World Cup arrives in the country in 2034.

Old is gold for this startup

Startups posting news welcoming new employees is fairly common on social media. But when Malaysian startup Dododots announced that their interns, Leslie Mah and Loh Kit Lam, had been made permanent in their roles, it attracted a lot of attention, as Leslie was 62 years old and Loh 55. Both had taken up jobs as interns at a time when most would be at home playing with their grandchildren. Uncle Leslie and Auntie Stephanie, as they are known to their colleagues, said they were just “looking to fill the time” when they signed up in January 2024, reports The Straits Times. But both proved so invaluable that the company simply refused to let them go.