Researched and written by Bernadett Bártfai
The Emotionally Intelligent Artificial Confidant
The current hot topic in the research industry is around the surge of AI-generated respondents and the resulting threat to data quality and validity. Over the last few years we’ve witnessed advanced forms of AI fraud, with chatbots like ChatGPT being used to complete surveys, emerging even from trusted suppliers and at scale.
This shift compels researchers to face a new reality. As AI grows more sophisticated, protecting authentic human insight becomes both more vital and more difficult.
We block these attempts through our stringent security measures, but if AI can convincingly impersonate people in surveys, it’s no surprise that it’s also starting to influence how people present themselves in other, more personal parts of life. As people grow more comfortable using ChatGPT, its role in sensitive and emotional situations increases.
Recent research and media reports [1,2,3,4,5] show that many young people now turn to ChatGPT to discuss personal topics, including relationships and dating.
This trend shows a clear shift in how people seek advice and emotional support in the age of AI. However, we still know little about why people discuss their love lives with an AI chatbot, how these conversations unfold, and how users feel about ChatGPT in emotional situations.
We conducted a survey with 1,000 Gen Z and Millennial respondents from the UK to investigate how people use, or would consider using, ChatGPT for relationship and dating-related discussions.
Our data provides insight into the evolving boundaries between technology and human connection.
More than 1 in 5 said they have used ChatGPT for relationships or dating.
Regular Users Involving ChatGPT in their Love Life
Reflecting the rise of AI chatbots, 80% of respondents said they use ChatGPT. Among them, more than 1 in 5 (21%) said they had used ChatGPT before to discuss their relationship or dating life. This usage wasn’t significantly different between generations, genders, or relationship statuses, suggesting a steady trend across different demographic groups.
However frequent ChatGPT users were more likely to discuss relationships or dating (29%) than users who use it rarely (8%).
How and Why Users Bring Their Love Lives to ChatGPT
The study highlights a more rational than emotional approach to initiating conversations with ChatGPT about one’s love life.
When asked about the main reasons behind using ChatGPT for relationship or dating, respondents indicated tips or suggestions (44%), talking to someone about their situation more objectively (42%), and hearing a different opinion than friends or family (35%) as their top 3 reasons.
The results suggest a wide range of topics users discussed with ChatGPT. Among those who have used the popular AI chatbot for relationship or dating, 23% said they had asked for advice on how to improve their relationship, 22% had requested solutions to fix their relationship problems, more than fifth (21%) had asked it to analyse the behaviour of their crush, and likewise 21% had asked it to “evaluate an argument I had with my partner to see if I was right”.
Moreover, almost a third (33%) of married users had asked ChatGPT for legal advice related to their marriage. Respondents spent an average of 16 minutes per relationship or dating conversation. Despite these long conversations, only 38% of partnered users said their partner knew about them.
Besides these overall use cases, the results imply differences in conversational needs between certain demographics. Women (21%) were significantly more likely than men (4%) to have discussed or asked about topics related to understanding feelings and situations, and men (22%) were significantly more likely than women (4%) to have discussed or asked about topics related to self-improvement tips.
Men were significantly more likely than women to have asked ChatGPT to suggest ways to spice up their sex life.
While most discussion topics concern emotional and practical matters, some conversations stir towards the bedroom, especially for certain users: men (27%) were significantly more likely than women (9%) to have asked ChatGPT to suggest ways to spice up their sex life. Similarly, almost a third of married people (33%) were significantly more likely than those in a relationship (4%) to have asked for these exact suggestions.
Artificial Help with Real Impact
88% of those who have asked for tips, suggestions, or advice regarding relationships or dating said ChatGPT’s response had impacted their personal life positively
Talking about love life with ChatGPT appears effective after all: 88% of users who asked for advice said it had a positive impact.
In fact, those who have discussed relationship or dating with ChatGPT seem to trust its input: 82% reported they (would) feel confident taking relationship or dating advice from ChatGPT, while 77% said the same about their partner, 76% about their best friend, closest family member (76%), and a therapist (76%), and only a bit more than a half of them (54%) (would) feel confident taking relationship or dating advice based on information they’d find online, like on Google, social media, or in articles.
Besides serving as a relationship and dating advisor, ChatGPT is also a shoulder to cry on: among those who’ve used it for relationship or dating, 85% said they felt comfortable discussing their relationship or dating life, 85% found the responses reassuring and supportive, and 78% felt understood during their conversation(s).
Preference for Objectivity, while Digital Concerns Prevail
Despite its emotionally supportive role, ChatGPT is still mainly valued for its emotionless and objective qualities. The (potential) benefits of using ChatGPT for relationship or dating according to those who’ve used it for this purpose were “asking or saying anything without judgement” (55%), “objective and unbiased responses” (49%), and “quick and efficient responses” (48%).
In contrast, users also flagged some limitations: privacy concerns (32%), difficulty verifying responses (26%), and fear of social judgement (25%).
The findings show that most users turn to ChatGPT for practical reasons: to understand their situation and find ways to improve themselves or their relationship.
In their conversations, although emotional support and reassurance is present, users tend to focus on and prioritise ChatGPT’s (perceived) objective and non-judgemental nature. This finding may raise questions as to how aware users are of the actual objectivity of AI chatbots.
The confidentiality and credibility of another person, especially a partner, friends, and family are not replaced (yet), ChatGPT is increasingly trusted with providing legitimate advice despite users’ concerns about privacy, social judgement, or verifying AI responses.
Nevertheless, this emerging trend calls for future research to dive deeper into user motivations and behavior patterns as young people keep turning to ChatGPT about their relationship and dating life.
References
1: https://www.npr.org/2025/08/05/nx-s1-5490447/ai-chatgpt-couples-therapy-advice
3: https://www.vice.com/en/article/my-girlfriend-wont-stop-using-chatgpt-for-relationship-advice/
6. Additional Obsurvant Research on consumer dating trends
Please get in touch if you’d like to discuss this research or your next study.