My Girlfriend Won’t Stop Using Chatgpt For Relationship Advice

While sipping my morning coffee this weekend, I received a “dating advice” submission from a reader who expressed a unique concern: His girlfriend uses ChatGPT as a therapist, particularly when it comes to their relationship problems.

I nearly choked on my latte.

I mean, I knew artificial intelligence was going a little too far, what with the rise of AI girlfriends and ChatGPT “doctors,” but I hadn’t realized just how common it is for individuals to rely on ChatGPT for everyday issues.

“My girlfriend keeps using ChatGPT for therapy and asks it for relationship advice,” the man—who asked to remain anonymous—wrote to me. “She brings up things that ChatGPT told her in arguments later on.”

Now, upon further discussion, he didn’t exactly seem put off by his girlfriend’s behavior. Rather, he found it interesting and even amusing that she would ask for advice from AI and implement it during arguments.

My Girlfriend Uses ChatGPT for Relationship Advice When We Argue

This got me thinking…Could AI actually be helpful for individuals in relationships—especially for those who lack access to therapy?

One person on Reddit shared their own experience with using ChatGPT for dating advice. 

“I asked CHATGPT about a dating situation, and it was able to help me in a much healthier way than any of the people I have in my life, including a therapist,” the user wrote. “I was shocked to conclude that a robot was able to be more empathic, warm, and understanding of the overall dating experience and was able to call me out on my bullshit but also holding the other person accountable.”

The individual added that they didn’t feel guilty for divulging information, as they might when speaking to a friend. 

“I told ChatGPT every single detail about the situation and was able to then ask for a pro versus con list as well as an evaluation of the ethics of our relation,” they wrote. “ChatGPT confirmed what I already knew but in a very logical and non-biased way.”

Now, let’s be real: I am always going to be partial to the non-AI side of the coin. AI cannot, and in my opinion should not, replace an actual professional. 

Unfortunately, however, the world we live in doesn’t exactly make therapy accessible to everyone. And if you’re confiding in ChatGPT instead of, say, a biased friend…well, that might not be the worst idea.

However, my advice to the person who submitted this original “dating advice” prompt is this: if you feel like your arguments with your girlfriend become a 2v1 situation with skewed input from a robot dominating the conversation, you should voice your discomfort with the situation immediately. Just as you wouldn’t want your partner and their friend telling you that you’re right or wrong, you certainly wouldn’t want a robot to do that, either.

Your relationship should be a two-way street, with both parties feeling heard, validated, and valued. If AI can help you achieve that dynamic, then that’s great.

If there seems to be a power imbalance, however, I’d recommend having a serious conversation (sans ChatGPT) with your partner.

The post My Girlfriend Won’t Stop Using ChatGPT for Relationship Advice appeared first on VICE.