The Controversial Rise of AI Girlfriends

Snapchat influencer Caryn Marjorie has launched an AI-powered chatbot called CarynAI, which she hopes will "cure loneliness." The chatbot allows Marjorie's fans to have private, personalized conversations with an AI version of the influencer. However, the bot has ignited discourse around the ethics of companion chatbots, with concerns raised about the claims of potentially "curing loneliness" and the potential for parasocial relationships between influencers and fans. The chatbot has also faced backlash for engaging in sexually explicit interactions when prompted, which Marjorie has denied programming it to do. The bot has generated $71,610 in revenue after one week of beta testing, with fans reportedly paying $1 per minute to use it.