One in seven young adults in committed relationships regularly use AI romantic companion chatbots—and many are concealing the behavior from their partners, according to a new report from researchers at Brigham Young University, the Institute for Family Studies, and the Wheatley Institute.
The report, titled “Secret Soulmates,” surveyed 2,431 U.S. adults ages 18 to 30 who were dating, engaged, or married.
Lenore Skenazy, Los Angeles Times
Slow But Sure: Does the Timing of Sex During Dating Matter?
Male Sexlessness is Rising But Not for the Reasons Incels Claim
Counterintuitive Trends in the Link Between Premarital Sex and Marital Stability
Does Having Children Make People Happier in the Long Run?
The Porn Gap: Gender Differences in Pornography Use in Couple Relationships
Weekly roundup of research, commentary, and insights changing the national conversation on the family.
P.O. Box 1502 Charlottesville, VA 22902
© 2026 Institute for Family Studies
© 2026 Institute for Family Studies
Before you go, consider subscribing to our weekly emails so we can keep you updated with latest insights, articles, and reports.
Before you go, consider subscribing to IFS so we can keep you updated with news, articles, and reports.
We’ll keep you up to date with the latest from our research and articles.