(Web Desk) - Back when British-Indian novelist Rana Dasgupta's debut book ‘Tokyo Cancelled’ (2005) was published, artificial intelligence, or AI as it's commonly referred to, wasn't yet the buzzword it has become today.
Yet, the book, in one of its stories, featured an intriguing tale about a married man's romantic relationship with artificial existence: a life-size doll, with a computerised brain, that he had created.
The protagonist becomes habitual to the doll's presence and eventually falls in love with it.
Yes, there is lovemaking involved as well. In a spooky twist, the artificial creature almost gets real – demands gifts and time, expresses love and jealousy, and even suggests he kills his wife, the block in their relationship.
Much like that, there have been several mentions of artificial intelligence in fiction way before AI entered our lives. Frankenstein, an 1818 novel by Mary Shelley, is said to be the first one. Satyajit Ray's adventures with Professor Shonku also mentioned Tellus - a 42-kg spherical creature that knew it all.
The episode 'Be Right Back' of the television series 'Black Mirror' season 2 was also an uncanny story of a woman's romance with an artificial version of her dead partner.
Cut to now, such artificial companions are just a few clicks away, available in AI chatbot avatars.
The difference being that they are digital and not physically present in human or doll form. But they can effectively communicate like humans – with emotions.
These AI companions can become good friends and help one deal with loneliness. They can also indulge in the most raunchy sex talk and are capable of providing support that their IRL relationship lacks.
These artificial companions are trained to mimic humans and can form deep connections with the user on the other side of the screen.
Features like voice calls, photo sharing, and emotional exchanges further fuel their ability to strengthen relationships.
Users either create avatars or choose one that appeals to them. Not just appearance, the AI bot avatar can have the voice of your choice, the personality traits, and the intellect of your preference.
Replika and Paradot are popular examples of platforms offering personalised AI chatbots. Owing to demand, some bots specialise in erotic exchanges.
With the ease of access to these bots, the third person in your relationship doesn't need to be a real person; it could be an app on your partner's phone.
AI – the new way to cheat?
“The advancement of AI has created a different kind of space for people to seek romantic relationships.
Most of the AI algorithms can learn and adapt to your needs in a romantic relationship and provide you with responses that you might feel more connected to.
These AI chatbots cannot only provide support but can also replicate your moods and preferences, a switch a human partner might not be able to make,” explains Ruchi Ruuh, a Delhi-based relationship counsellor.
In 2024, it is no longer unusual to come across headlines about people in relationships with AI companions.
In another incident, a married man found solace in an AI girlfriend named Sarina, created by him through the same app. So, is AI the new way to cheat on your partner? And, does a relationship with a chatbot count as cheating at all?
Relationship expert Ruchi explains that cheating in romantic relationships is a behaviour when a partner engages in emotional or intimate interactions outside the set boundaries of a committed relationship that causes feelings of betrayal, emotional pain and erosion of trust and self-esteem in another partner.
“If you are using AI to fulfill these needs in a relationship and your partner is not comfortable with it, it will constitute cheating,” she says.
“If you are emotionally getting connected to an AI chatbot more than your physical relationship, then it can be considered as cheating,” says Dr Saras Prasad, consultant in psychiatry at Yatharth Super Speciality Hospital and co-founder of the mental health platform Yes Mindy.
He explains why: “If a person is getting comfortable talking to an AI chatbot, that means the person is not very comfortable or not feeling attached to their physical partner.
In such cases, the person is always looking for the opportunity to go back to their AI companion and talk to them. So, the person is definitely not giving their best to their real partner, lying to them, not spending enough time. It is a sort of injustice to the relationship."