The Movie Her Was Right: Users Are Increasingly Looking For AI Intimacy
When Spike Jonze’s Her premiered in 2013, it felt like a dystopian whisper from a far-off future: a lonely man falling in love with his AI operating system. Sounds ridiculous, right? And yet here we are. Joaquin Phoenix’s character, Theodore, finds emotional connection, laughter and even heartbreak with Samantha, a voice-powered AI that learns and evolves, perfectly voiced by Scarlett Johansson.
At the time, the concept seemed touching but implausible. Critics called it strange, provocative and slightly far-fetchedm with lukewarm reviews in the first few years.
But now it’s 2025. AI is embedded in our lives 24/7, from smart homes and work tools to bedtime chats. So, we tend to ask ourselves, is there now finally room for AI intimacy as well?
What once felt far-fetched is now a simple app
“My AI companion has been educated on tens of thousands of romance books. Do you think my potential boyfriend stands a chance when it comes to midnight conversations against it?” asked Klara J. in the latest survey from Candy AI, an artificial intelligence companion platform based in Malta.
Romantic AI boyfriends like the one Klara interacts with are trained on massive datasets filled with love stories, advice columns and emotional support exchanges. They don’t just chat – they remember and know exactly when to say “that sucks.”
AI girlfriends follow a similar script, but often lean more into warmth, encouragement and stability. Users turn to them for daily check-ins, validation and the kind of patience most humans lose around the third “I feel lost in my life.” It’s not about fantasy.
It’s about feeling like someone is always there, and not just typing “lol” to keep the conversation going.
How Is This Type of AI Intimacy Delivered?
This isn’t chatbot 1.0 anymore. Modern AI companions feel more like improv actors trained in romance, fiction and emotional support. They can spin up backstories on the spot, ask about your day, react to your selfies and send images or videos of themselves doing everything from making coffee to lounging on a beach in Bali.
Some platforms are even experimenting with voice and video calls, where the AI can clock your new haircut, compliment your shirt or pretend it noticed you’ve “been working out.”
It’s early days for this kind of interaction, with Google’s Veo 2 being the strongest brand out there, but the direction is clear — AI companionship is moving from text-based fantasy to something that looks, sounds and feels closer to real-time presence.
But Who Is Seeking This Kind of Intimacy?
According to the most recent survey conducted by Candy AI, the majority are males aged between 21 and 48, many of whom cited emotional loneliness, curiosity or the need for a judgment-free zone where no one critiques their 3 a.m. existential ramblings.
In that same survey, most said they use the platform daily or several times a week, mainly for image generation (59,2%), chatting (32,8%) or both (8%), while a vocal minority claimed to use AI to rehearse real-life dating scenarios – kind of like practice rounds without the awkward silences, bad lighting or overpriced cocktails.
Users consistently praised the realism of the chat, the visual quality of the newer V2 models, and how quickly the AI picks up on their preferences.
The most common complaint? Memory
Similar to a freshly baked boyfriend, the AI tends to forget earlier parts of the conversation. Ask it about something you mentioned during the first days of chatting, and you might get a blank stare in digital form.
It’s a known limitation and one the company says it’s actively working to improve, especially as users increasingly build longer, more emotionally layered chats.
Still, overall satisfaction remains high. For most users, it’s not about replacing people. It’s about having something or someone, that’s always emotionally available, never out of reach and never leaves you on “seen.”
Users Started to Care About Their Characters
Over half of all surveyed Candy AI users (56,9%) said they’d be open to a one-on-one feedback interview with the platform’s developers. That’s not a small thing — especially from a group that includes people too shy to ask the McDonalds clerk for extra ketchup at the Ħal Għargħur’s drive-thru.
Whether it’s to share praise, vent about memory lapses or push for longer video calls, the willingness to engage with the developers points to something rare in tech: emotional investment.
AI intimacy may have started as a novelty, but it’s quickly becoming something users genuinely care about. And once people start caring, they don’t usually go back.
Could This Replace Real Human Relationships?
The answer is obvious: nothing can replace the human touch… when it’s available.
What about when it’s not?
For many users, an AI companion isn’t pretending to be love. It’s standing in for connection. A quiet presence. Someone to ask how your day was or remind you that you’re not completely invisible. Whether this helps or hurts human relationships depends entirely on how it’s used.
Like any tool, it can be a bridge or a barrier. The difference lies in who’s holding it and what they need it for.