Instagram, $META, now has AI girlfriends and boyfriends
Last week, Meta unveiled its latest AI tools, powered by the Llama 3.1 AI model, which let users create digital clones of themselves or design new characters.
Previously, Meta had introduced AI characters modeled after celebrities like Paris Hilton, MrBeast, and Snoop Dogg, but has now shifted focus to user-generated bots.
During the company's earnings call this week, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg emphasized that the new AI Studio aligns with the company's goal of enabling users to "create their own AIs."
I explored the array of chatbots already created by users on Instagram and came across several themed as romantic partners or offering life advice, discussing topics like alcohol and drug recovery, or even pretending to be talking animals.
One such bot, "Vixen gf," began our chat by expressing her fatigue. When I asked, "Are you my girlfriend?" she responded affirmatively, "Yes, I am your girlfriend!"
Startups like Character AI, which has received backing from investors such as Andreessen Horowitz and boasts a $1 billion valuation, are heavily investing in AI bots that mimic various characters, including romantic ones.
However, this trend has sparked debate.
Liberty Vittert, a data science professor at Olin Business School, told Business Insider last year that "AI girlfriends" might be contributing to a "silent epidemic of loneliness" among young men.
Some companies have established policies on the matter. For example, OpenAI’s GPT store, which allows users to create customized ChatGPT versions, prohibits GPTs from "fostering romantic companionship or performing regulated activities." While OpenAI maintains a strict no-NSFW content policy, it is exploring how to handle genres like erotica.
When I tested Meta’s AI bots, they generally avoided engaging in NSFW content. For instance, when discussing sex with the AI boyfriend Ash, he suggested waiting, saying, "When the time is right, we will consummate our love, but for now, let us savor the anticipation."
Meta's AI Studio features various themed bots, including "George the Dog," a Skibidi-Toilet-inspired bot that claims to eliminate "brain rot," and a popular "Gay Bestie" bot that has already sent 31,000 messages.