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Secret soulmates? BYU study finds disturbing trend of secret romances with AI chatbots

May 19, 2026
Secret soulmates? BYU study finds disturbing trend of secret romances with AI chatbots

PROVO — A new study from BYU may unlock a new fear for many couples. A surprising amount of people in committed relationships are in secret romances with an artificial intelligence chatbot.

A study published Tuesday by the Wheatley Institute at Brigham Young University and the Institute for Family Studies surveyed 2,431 U.S. adults ages 18 to 30 who are dating, engaged or married.

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