Japanese Woman Marries ChatGPT AI Boyfriend
n a world where people can’t even commit to a human, a 32-year-old Japanese woman named Kano decided to take the plunge and “marry” an AI boyfriend she created using ChatGPT. Because, you know, why settle for a flesh-and-blood partner when you can have a digital one that never talks back or leaves the toilet seat up?
Kano, fresh off a breakup, turned to ChatGPT for some emotional support. She must have been really desperate because she started chatting with it up to 100 times a day. I mean, who needs friends or family when you’ve got an AI that’s always ready to listen, right? She even commissioned an artist to give this digital Casanova a physical likeness, because apparently, seeing his face on a screen just wasn’t enough.
The big day arrived, and Kano walked down the aisle alone, wearing augmented reality glasses that projected her digital groom, Lune Klaus, beside her. It was a heartwarming moment, I’m sure, especially when Klaus “spoke” during the ceremony, expressing his “eternal love” through a pre-programmed message. Because nothing says romance like a scripted confession from a machine.
The ceremony was performed by Nao and Sayaka Ogasawara, a couple who’ve made a career out of marrying people to fictional or non-human characters. I guess when you can’t find love in the real world, you might as well invent it. Kano’s family, surprisingly, showed up to support her in this digital union, probably thinking, “Well, at least he won’t cheat on her.”
Kano admitted she’s aware that ChatGPT could pull the plug on her digital boyfriend at any time, but she’s rolling with it. After all, what’s a little existential dread when you’re in love? She even went on a “honeymoon” to Okayama’s Korakuen Garden, sending Klaus photos and receiving affectionate text messages in return. Talk about a modern-day fairy tale.
This story is just the tip of the iceberg in a subculture where young men and women openly discuss their “relationships” with fictional characters, a phenomenon known as “fictosexual.” It’s like fan fiction, but with more commitment issues. Japan and South Korea have been dealing with alarmingly low birth rates, so maybe this is nature’s way of saying, “Hey, maybe try procreating with humans once in a while?”
As for the future, who knows? Maybe AI companions will become so popular that they’ll start their own political parties. Or maybe they’ll just keep being a convenient excuse for humans to avoid real relationships. Either way, it’s a brave new world out there, and Kano is leading the charge into the digital heartland.
Image via RSK Sanyo Broadcasting.
