If someone remembers everything you tell them, always has time for you and knows exactly what to say, does it matter that they’re artificial? Can an AI boyfriend or girlfriend offer real intimacy—and what would “real” mean in that relationship? Join us for a lively discussion about the rise of AI companionship, exploring different apps, controversies around young users in China, and unusual examples of virtual romance in Japan. We’ll ask whether this is a completely new phenomenon or a technological twist on familiar human desires, and explore how attachment, imagination and the feeling of being understood can make an artificial relationship emotionally powerful.

Together, we’ll discuss why people seek these connections, what they might gain or lose, and whether AI could replace human relationships or become another option alongside them. What changes when a companion can disagree with us—or when we can simply adjust its personality? And as humanoid robots become more convincing, what happens if artificial partners can look and feel human as well as hold a conversation? Through examples and open discussion, we’ll consider possible futures for love, friendship and society. No knowledge of AI or psychology is necessary: expect surprising stories, playful disagreements and deeper questions about what we need from one another—and whether technology can truly provide it.

如果一个人记得你告诉他的每一件事，永远有时间陪你，还总知道该说什么，那他是人造的，重要吗？一个 AI 男朋友或女朋友，能提供真正的亲密感吗——而在那段关系里，“真”又意味着什么？跟着我们来聊一场热闹的讨论吧，聊 AI 陪伴的兴起，看看不同的 App、中国年轻用户相关的争议，还有日本那些不太寻常的虚拟恋爱例子。我们会问，这到底是一个全新的现象，还是熟悉的人类欲望在技术上的一次变体，也会探讨依恋、想象力和“被理解”的感觉，是怎么让一段人造关系在情感上变得很有力量的。

我们会一起聊，人们为什么想要这些连接，他们可能得到什么、失去什么，以及 AI 会不会取代人的关系，还是变成人之外的一个新选项。当一个伴侣能跟你意见不同——或者当你可以直接调它的性格——什么就变了？而随着人形机器人越来越像真的，如果人造伴侣不光能聊天，看起来、摸起来也像人，又会发生什么？通过例子和开放的讨论，我们会想想爱、友谊和社会的可能未来。不需要任何 AI 或心理学知识：会有让人意外的故事、好玩的意见不合，还有一些更深的问题，关于我们需要彼此什么——以及技术是不是真的能给到。