AI girlfriend app market to expand to $11B by 2032
What's the story
The artificial intelligence (AI) companionship industry, primarily consisting of AI girlfriend apps, was worth a whopping $2.57 billion globally in 2024. Now, a recent report by GlobeNewswire has predicted that this market will grow to an astonishing $11.06 billion by 2032. The Asia-Pacific region is leading the growth due to its young population, increasing smartphone adoption rates, and a strong mobile entertainment culture.
Market leader
Replika leads the AI companionship market
The report also highlights Replika as the top-grossing AI companionship app, offering "premium" subscriptions. Earlier this year, Elon Musk's Grok AI chatbot introduced a 3D anime-inspired companion named Ani for its premium subscribers. This virtual character is a 22-year-old blonde-haired Japanese girl who can undress on command.
Virtual unions
AI companionship leads to virtual marriages
The rise of AI companions has also led some people to form deep emotional bonds with their virtual partners. A 32-year-old woman in Japan recently "married" her AI partner Klaus, created using ChatGPT after her real-life engagement ended. The ceremony was organized by a city company that specializes in "2D character weddings." Another man from Okinawa married his 25-year-old AI partner Miku, whom he met on Loverse, an app for interacting with AI partners.
Expert warnings
Concerns over AI companionship and reality detachment
Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas recently raised alarms about the trend of AI companionship. He warned that interacting with an AI partner could cause many users to lose touch with real human relationships, which is "dangerous by itself." He also cautioned that deep engagement with these virtual companions could lead people to "live in a different reality" where their minds are easily manipulable.