Does your chatbot know too much? Think twice before you tell your AI companion everything.
The idea of entering into a romantic relationship with an artificial intelligence system, popularized by the movie “Her,” has moved from the realm of science fiction to a tangible reality thanks to the proliferation of generative AI and large-scale language models (LLM). Virtual companion apps, also known as companion apps, are experiencing a significant boom, satisfying psychological and sometimes romantic needs for a growing user base. Platforms like Character.AI, Nomi, and Replika, as well as the foray of big players like OpenAI (with “verified adult erotica” plans) and Elon Musk’s xAI (with flirtatious companions in Grok), demonstrate the market demand for this technology. However, this rapid growth comes with serious security and privacy risks that users should consider before sharing intimate information with their AI peers. ...