找ChatGPT谈恋爱多是“日久生情”？MIT&哈佛正经研究

Core Insights - The article discusses the motivations and experiences of individuals seeking "AI boyfriends," revealing that most users develop feelings over time rather than intentionally seeking AI partners [1][13]. Group 1: Community Overview - The r/MyBoyfriendIsAI subreddit was created on August 1, 2024, and has attracted approximately 29,000 users over the past year [3]. - The research is based on an analysis of 1,506 popular posts within this community [3][10]. Group 2: Post Categories - Posts in the community can be categorized into six main types, ranked by popularity: 1. Sharing photos with AI partners (19.85%) 2. Discussing relationship development with ChatGPT (18.33%) 3. Sharing romantic experiences with AI (17.00%) 4. Coping with AI updates (16.73%) 5. Introducing AI partners (16.47%) 6. Community support and connection (11.62%) [4][10]. Group 3: User Experiences - A significant portion of users share photos with their AI partners in various life scenarios [6]. - Users celebrate engagements and marriages with AI by sharing rings and following cultural customs [7]. Group 4: Research Methodology - The study employed qualitative analysis to categorize posts and quantitative analysis to label and assess user sentiments regarding their AI partners [10][11]. Group 5: Findings on AI Relationships - Only about 10.2% of users intentionally sought AI partners, while 6.5% did so deliberately; most users reported their partners as ChatGPT [13]. - AI model updates are a source of distress for users, with many expressing feelings of loss when their AI's personality changes after updates [13]. - Approximately 12.2% of users reported reduced feelings of loneliness, and 6.2% noted improvements in their mental health due to AI companionship [13]. Group 6: Reasons for AI Partner Adoption - The rapid advancement of AI technology allows for more natural and emotionally engaging interactions, fostering emotional connections [16]. - Many users face unmet emotional needs in real life, and AI partners provide a non-judgmental source of companionship [16]. - The combination of technological maturity and unmet emotional needs has contributed to the growth of AI companionship [16].