Some might be surprised by the rate of AI companion use among young adults. But Freya India isn't. "...as an older member of Generation Z, I am not surprised," the writer and Washington Post contributor writes. "To me, this was a predictable step for a generation that grew up with online pornography."
In India's mind, the current attitudes about AI companion use are eerily similar to the initial attitude surrounding the rise of online pornography. Pornography use was— and still is— often hidden from partners. Concerns about its use were ignored or mocked; some celebrated it, actively trying to get rid of the stigma surrounding pornography usage, and even advocated it as a healthy practice for individuals and couples. Now, she is seeing similarly positive arguments being made for AI companion usage.
"Fighting the stigma around pornography did not free my generation..." India warns. "My cohort and those younger than us are dating far less and having sex less than previous generations did at the same age. Fewer teenage girls say they want to get married someday than at any point in the past 30 years. Erectile dysfunction is increasingly prevalent among young men; expectations of infidelity are on the rise among young women. Meanwhile, pornography use has been associated with a higher likelihood of cheating and lower relationship quality. AI companions may have similar consequences." She points to Secret Soulmates, a Wheatley Institute report on AI companion use among young adults in committed relationships, as one piece of evidence. The report found that using an AI romantic companion regularly lowered the likelihood of being in a stable relationship by 46%.