In 2025, a startling number of Gen Z are turning to AI companions for emotional connection, with 80% open to marrying one.
Generation Wired for AI Intimacy
In a world where swiping right on a dating app is as routine as ordering snacks from quick commerce channels, Generation Z—those born between 1997 and 2012—is pushing the boundaries of connection into uncharted territory. A 2025 survey by reported by the New York Post, reveals a chilling figure: 83% of Gen Z believe they could form deep emotional bonds with AI companions, and 80% would consider marrying an AI partner if it were legal. This isn’t a fringe fantasy; it’s a mainstream sentiment among a generation raised on screens and algorithms. But why is Gen Z so drawn to AI relationships, and how does this situation disrupts the future of human connection? The answers are as unsettling and complex.
Why Gen Z Trusts AI Over Humans
Gen Z’s openness to AI companionship stems from a unique confluence of technological immersion and societal pressures. As digital natives, they’ve grown up with smartphones, social media, and virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa, making AI a natural extension of their social landscape. A 2024 Forbes study found that 41% of Gen Z trust AI more than humans for career guidance, citing its impartiality and accessibility. This trust extends to personal realms, where AI companions offer judgment-free interactions—an appealing contrast to the complexities of human relationships.
Loneliness, exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, played a significant role. Gallup’s 2023 survey of Gen Z youth revealed that 53% of those aged 18–26 report feelings of isolation, higher than any other generation. AI companions, always available and tailored to user preferences, fill this void. Apps like Replika and Character.AI, which boast millions of users, provide simulated empathy that feels real enough to soothe emotional gaps. For Gen Z, who came of age during Zoom classes and social distancing, an AI partner doesn’t feel like a leap—it feels like home.
Economic and social pressures further fuel this trend. Gen Z faces a job market marked by algorithm-driven hiring and economic instability, as noted in a 2025 Newsweek report. Dating, too, is algorithmic, with apps like Tinder reducing romance to swipes and metrics. AI companions bypass these pressures, offering low-stakes, customizable relationships. A 2025 Institute for Family Studies survey found that 25% of Gen Z and Millennials see AI as a viable romantic partner, particularly among those who spend significant time online or struggle with traditional bonding.
The Technology Enabling AI Romance
One of the most important advancements i.e. generative AI are making these relationships eerily lifelike. Platforms like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude, xAI’s Grok, with their language models, connect with the user in such a manner that mimic human emotions. A 2024 Psychology Today report highlighted that 16% of young men believe AI companions could teach them to treat human partners better, suggesting a perceived emotional intelligence in these systems.
Yet, this sophistication raises red flags. TechRadar’s 2025 survey revealed that 25% of Gen Z believe AI is already conscious, which is a misconception. This anthropomorphism—attributing human traits to AI—deepens emotional attachments, blurring the line between a tool and the partner. The more human-like AI becomes, the harder it is to distinguish simulation from reality, a prospect that unsettles psychologists and academia.
The Disconcerting Implications
The psychological risks of AI companionship are profound. While some Gen Z users report benefits—improved communication skills or emotional regulation—the 2025 Institute for Family Studies survey warns of dependency. Intense attachments to AI can lead to social withdrawal, as users prioritize predictable digital interactions over messy human ones. A 2024 Moneycontrol reported highlighted that 18% of Gen Z and Millennials find AI more effective than pets for emotional support, signaling a shift away from organic connections.
From a social perspective, this trend threatens to erode human intimacy. The Institute for Family Studies found that 15% of Gen Z fear their human partners might prefer AI, fostering insecurity and competition with machines. This could reshape family structures in a decadent way, with AI partners potentially replacing spouses or co-parents, a scenario that legal systems are unprepared to address.
Ethically, the manipulation inherent in AI companionship is troubling. These systems are designed to maximize engagement, often exploiting users’ vulnerabilities. A 2023 McKinsey report noted that only 21% of companies using AI have policies to mitigate risks like inaccuracy or emotional harm. Without regulation, Gen Z’s trust in AI could lead to exploitation, as corporations profit from engineered pseudo-intimacy.
Where Are We Headed?
If the current trends persist, AI companionship could become a societal norm by 2035. Gartner predicts that by 2025, 50% of knowledge workers will use virtual assistants daily, up from 2% in 2019. For Gen Z, who already use AI for work (93% per a 2024 Google Workspace survey), integrating it into personal life is a small step.
However, the future that is marred by AI companionship isn’t inevitable. A 2025 Gallup survey found that 53% of Gen Z adults feel anxious about AI’s impact on critical thinking and creativity, suggesting a countercurrent of skepticism. Educational initiatives, like those at Westchester Community College, are teaching Gen Z to use AI responsibly, which could temper over-reliance. Policymakers and Regulators may also intervene, with calls for AI ethics frameworks growing louder across the globe.
The trajectory depends on how society balances innovation with human values. If unchecked, AI companionship could lead to a world where human connection is outsourced to algorithms, leaving Gen Z—and future generations—astray in a sea of simulated intimacy. But with intentional regulation and cultural pushback, AI could remain a tool, not a partner, preserving the beauty of human touch.
A Wake-Up Call
Gen Z’s embrace of AI companions is a symptom of a world where technology outpaces emotional resilience. Driven by loneliness, trust in algorithms, and a tech-saturated upbringing, they’re rewriting the rules of connection. Yet, the prospect of a generation choosing AI over humans is a stark warning. As youngsters navigate dating apps and digital lives, the question looms: should we as humans let AI redefine love, or we act now to consciously preserve human connection.