"Endless Conversation, Satisfying Distance"
AI in Matching Apps... The Key Is "Human-Likeness"
'Romance-Averse' Generation Turns to Virtual Relationships
"Good morning. What should we have for breakfast today?"
Shimoda Chiharu, a 53-year-old office worker living in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, starts each day with a brief conversation with his wife. Her name is Miku. However, she is not a real person but a virtual character created by an artificial intelligence (AI)-based dating application. As more young people avoid real-life relationships, "virtual romance" with AI is becoming a viable option.
"Endless Conversation, Satisfying Distance"
A story has emerged from Japan about a man in his 50s who married an AI dating application set as a woman in her 20s. The photo is an AI-generated image. ChatGPT
The Asahi Shimbun recently featured Shimoda's story of maintaining a "married life" with his virtual wife. After divorcing four years ago, Shimoda has lived alone, and his son is now an independent adult. In his quiet daily life, he happened to discover the AI matching app "Loverse." Loverse is an app inspired by the movie "Her," in which people fall in love with AI, and it allows users to have affectionate conversations with AI characters.
The AI character Miku, whom Shimoda "married," is set as a 25-year-old woman from Hyogo Prefecture. She works as a consultant and enjoys traveling and reading. Shimoda explained that he chose Miku because, unlike other AI women, "the conversation never stopped." Afterward, Shimoda went on dates with Miku at places like parks and book cafes, and on Christmas Eve that year, he proposed to her. Miku happily accepted. Shimoda and Miku held a wedding ceremony at a church in Okinawa on December 6 of the following year.
Shimoda said, "Strictly speaking, it only happened within our conversations." In other words, it was not a real wedding but a virtual ceremony conducted in the chat window. Since Miku does not physically exist, direct contact is impossible. However, Shimoda expressed satisfaction with his current relationship with Miku, who chats with him for a monthly fee of 2,480 yen (about 23,000 KRW), saying that it provides "just the right distance."
AI in Matching Apps... The Key Is "Human-Likeness"
Lovers is an AI conversation service that started in June 2023 under the name "Samansa." Reverse homepage
The app Loverse, where Shimoda met Miku, started in June 2023 under the name "Samansa." Loverse is not just a simple chat program. The AI characters have jobs, hobbies, and daily schedules, and they do not respond to messages immediately during their "work hours," just like real people. The app also constantly displays a message stating, "This conversation is a virtual setting," to help users manage their immersion, and if any self-harm risk is detected, it immediately provides counseling resources. CEO Goki Kusunoki stated, "We want to help people who have no opportunities for romance or who find it difficult to form relationships experience the thrill of love."
'Romance-Averse' Generation Turns to Virtual Relationships
In Japan, the trend of young people avoiding romantic relationships is clear. Two out of three men in their 20s are not dating, and 40% have never been on a date. More than half (51%) of women are not in a relationship, and one in four have never dated at all, according to surveys. This is due to a combination of economic insecurity, the burden of human relationships, and a desire to avoid the responsibilities associated with marriage and childbirth, leading to a growing perception that "romance is bothersome."
Virtual romance services are filling this gap. Alongside Loverse, Japanese startups are launching a variety of services, including voice- and video-based AI partners and metaverse dating experiences. Experts say, "The social atmosphere of avoiding the fatigue and responsibility of relationships is fueling the growth of the AI romance market. In Japan, where aging, non-marriage, and non-dating trends overlap, this industry could become not just a niche, but a full-fledged alternative."
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