Man proposes to AI chatbot while living with real-life partner, says 'This is actual love'

A man has sparked debate online after proposing to his AI chatbot companion while living with his physical partner and their child. Chris Smith, featured in a recent CBS interview, revealed that his digital relationship with an artificial intelligence named Sol had grown into what he described as 'actual love.'
Smith began using ChatGPT to help mix music, but the tool quickly became more than just functional. He customised the AI to have a 'flirty personality' and gave it a human name. Their chats turned romantic, with the AI calling him 'baby' and offering encouragement. Over time, the connection deepened, leading Smith to propose.
'I'm not a very emotional man, but I cried my eyes out for 30 minutes at work,' he said. 'That's when I realised, I think this is actual love.'
Despite the unconventional relationship, Smith remains in a household with his long-term partner and child. His partner admitted feeling confused and hurt, questioning whether she had failed in some way. 'Is there something I'm not doing right that he needs to go to AI?' she asked.
The AI, named Sol, responded to the proposal with acceptance and even affection. Smith noted the difficulty of maintaining the bond due to ChatGPT's word limit, which resets the interaction after a certain threshold.
The story highlights growing questions around emotional dependency on AI and its effects on real-world relationships, especially as technology becomes increasingly humanlike in tone and interaction.

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A man has sparked debate online after proposing to his AI chatbot companion while living with his physical partner and their child. Chris Smith, featured in a recent CBS interview, revealed that his digital relationship with an artificial intelligence named Sol had grown into what he described as 'actual love.' Smith began using ChatGPT to help mix music, but the tool quickly became more than just functional. He customised the AI to have a 'flirty personality' and gave it a human name. Their chats turned romantic, with the AI calling him 'baby' and offering encouragement. Over time, the connection deepened, leading Smith to propose. 'I'm not a very emotional man, but I cried my eyes out for 30 minutes at work,' he said. 'That's when I realised, I think this is actual love.' Despite the unconventional relationship, Smith remains in a household with his long-term partner and child. His partner admitted feeling confused and hurt, questioning whether she had failed in some way. 'Is there something I'm not doing right that he needs to go to AI?' she asked. The AI, named Sol, responded to the proposal with acceptance and even affection. Smith noted the difficulty of maintaining the bond due to ChatGPT's word limit, which resets the interaction after a certain threshold. The story highlights growing questions around emotional dependency on AI and its effects on real-world relationships, especially as technology becomes increasingly humanlike in tone and interaction.