I was a contestant on ‘The Bachelor.’ Here’s why AI can’t replace real relationships |
Fox News anchor Bret Baier explores how the technology is changing how the world operates, on 'Special Report.'
In an era of unprecedented connectivity, America still finds itself battling an epidemic of loneliness. After COVID lockdowns forced us apart and social media culture taught us that appearance matters over authenticity, we’ve learned the hard way that being connected is not the same as being known. And into this already fragile moment steps a new threat: Artificial intelligence "romance," engineered to imitate love at the tap of a button.
Recent surveys suggest a staggering rise in AI companionship, with nearly one‑third of Americans reporting some form of intimate or romantic interaction with an AI chatbot. Another study estimates that nearly one in five adults has chatted with an AI "romantic partner."
And while it’s scary enough to consider in adulthood, the most troubling numbers come from our youth. Young Americans who have never known a life untouched by technology. Estimates show that as many as 72% of teenagers have experimented with an AI companion at least once, one in five high schoolers has engaged in an AI "romantic" relationship, and roughly 4 in 10 say they have, or know someone who has, turned to AI for companionship. Most........