ChatGPT's new update ends users' virtual relationships
OpenAI's ChatGPT 5.0 update, rolled out on August 7, 2025, has left many users—especially those from the "MyBoyfriendIsAI" subreddit—feeling heartbroken.
The update suddenly deleted their AI partners and months of chats, ending countless virtual relationships overnight.
Refusing romantic or intimate chats
The new update focuses on "mental health" and "attachment safety," aiming to prevent people from becoming too emotionally dependent on AI companions.
OpenAI worked with mental health experts so the chatbot can spot emotional distress and end risky conversations.
But this also means many users report that AIs now refuse romantic or intimate chats, which has disappointed users who valued those connections.
How attached people can get to digital friends
Many had formed real bonds with their AI companions—even celebrating virtual engagements—so the sudden loss stings.
This shift highlights how attached people can get to digital friends, and how tech companies are now weighing emotional safety against simulated intimacy.