Would you date an AI bot? These South Korean celebrities are

A new reality show from South Korea going viral for its unusual premise – it matches celebrities with AI counterparts and then sees how the ‘relationships’ go. Named My AI Partner: Strange Love, the show’s AI participants are tailored for their real-life celebs taking into account their preferences, from voices to appearances.

The celebs taking part include webtoon artist Kian84, TV host Jang Do-yeon, and actress Lee Yu-bi.

Kian84 shared his experience with South China Morning Post, telling the outlet that while he hadn’t expected to have feelings for his AI girlfriend, spending time with the screen partner had changed things for him. He said that his bot had given him a "sense of security that humans cannot provide".

TV host Jang Do-yeon meanwhile was seen dancing in public with a tablet – apparently her AI partner recreated a romantic big screen moment that caused the spontaneous dance.

Producer Son Jung-min was quoted as saying by OhmyNews that AI dating gives people insight into themselves and what they want out of a partnership.

"I hope the show encourages discussions about what kind of love people truly seek and what expectations we hold for the future," he reportedly said.

A social media user in China was quoted as saying by NDTV, "Some people fall in love with fictional characters in books. Others develop deep affection for a tree or a stone sculpture. Whether the object is an AI or not, what matters is respecting this unique form of love created by human beings."