Artificial intelligence has transcended its role as a mere productivity tool, entering the sphere of individuals' affective relationships. This has generated a new debate question: can conversing, flirting, or forming emotional bonds with an AI be classified as cheating?
Growth and nature of virtual companions
A survey conducted with 1,815 adults in Canada revealed that approximately half of respondents view the use of AI-based romantic companions as a form of infidelity, especially when this interaction is kept secret from their partner.
These AI romantic companions are digital systems designed to converse, flirt, and adjust their responses to the user. According to an article published by The Conversation, the number of such applications increased by 700% between 2022 and 2025.
The advancement of these platforms reflects a search for connections that are accessible at any time. Unlike other digital services, they are designed to foster uninterrupted conversations and provide a sense of closeness.
Motivations and relationship perception
The study's authors emphasize that such AIs are characterized by always being available, having a high degree of personalization, and offering a constant perception of being heard, desired, and understood. This proximity leads some users to equate the interaction with a human bond.
Research cited in the article indicates that 21% of romantic AI users prefer this experience of a 'perfect soulmate' over interacting with a real partner. Among the main factors driving the search for these virtual companions are continuous availability, the possibility of customizing the AI's characteristics, the feeling of emotional validation, the exploration of fantasies, and the need for support during moments of loneliness.
AI as a new frontier of infidelity
The objective of the study was to understand how people interpret this behavior within the context of romantic relationships. The findings showed that about three-quarters of respondents would react negatively upon discovering that their partner maintains this type of interaction.
This assessment was comparable to that made in scenarios involving dating apps and webcams with third parties, and was also more severe than in cases related to AI-generated pornography and sex toys. A notable piece of data was that almost two-thirds of users of AI romantic companions admitted to hiding this practice from their partner.
Differences in perception and limits of the debate
Views on the subject vary according to the participants' profiles. Cisgender women were shown to be about twice as inclined as cisgender men to consider the use of these tools as cheating. Generation Z individuals also presented more negative judgments.
In contrast, people already in non-monogamous unions showed approximately half the probability of classifying this behavior as infidelity, compared to participants in monogamous relationships. The authors warn that the results are still preliminary, emphasizing that 'the distinction between privacy and secrecy is especially important here'. Thus, the debate transcends the technology itself, focusing on the meaning each couple attributes to this interaction: while some see AI as emotional support, others may interpret it as a sign of distance or breach of trust.