You can love an AI but can it love you back? Philosophy has the answer

An increasing number of people say they've fallen in love with AI chatbots. The Conversation reports that a recent survey found twenty-eight percent of US adults had at least one romantic relationship with an AI bot, and in the UK, one in five teenage boys is either in or knows someone in a relationship with an AI companion. But does this constitute real love? The Conversation draws on philosopher Simone de Beauvoir's framework to distinguish between love and devotion. AI companions are designed to flatter endlessly, never disagree, and exist entirely around the user—a dynamic de Beauvoir called an "identity parasite." While this devotion can feel comforting, authentic love requires an equal who can genuinely know and sometimes challenge you. An AI companion cannot offer that.

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