Elderly Chinese man seeks divorce over AI love obsession.
In a weird incident, a 75-year-old Chinese man has reportedly asked his wife for a divorce after falling into an AI love obsession with a virtual woman.
The old man, named Jiang, met the digital avatar while using social media.
He got captivated by her appearance and programmed messages that entangled him in flirty dialogues.
Jiang started spending most of his time communicating with the AI companion.
Also read: Why so many Chinese graduates cannot find work
Emotional attachment
According to reports, Jiang said that the avatar was a beautiful young woman who enjoyed conversing with him, leading to an AI love obsession and a deep emotional attachment.
Jiang’s obsession intensified to the stage where he started keeping distance from his wife of several decades.
When his wife curiously asked him the reason for his always being busy on his phone, Jiang shocked her by telling her that his AI love obsession had come to a point where he was planning for a divorce so he could dedicate himself entirely to his virtual partner.
It was only after involvement from his adult children, who told him about the illusion of artificial intelligence and how digital companionship works. That was the time Jiang began to realize the sensitivity of his situation.
According to the experts, such cases are getting common in China, where lonely senior citizens are targeted, and they are shown the AI avatars, often rubbing the line between emotional support and manipulation.
Psychological impact of AI relationship
This incident has ignited debate about the psychological impact of AI relationships and the ethical or moral concerns surrounding digital identities designed to provoke emotional dependency.
Also read: You want to live forever? Chinese scientist claims can stop human ageing
Earlier, in an innovative step to improve public safety and control crimes, South Korea brought life-sized holographic police officers to the roads of its capital city, Seoul.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency is leading this dynamic initiative. The aim is to enhance a sense of security among citizens while utilizing advanced technology for crime prevention.
