From the editors
Long-form takes on AI girlfriends, the loneliness economy, digital intimacy, and how tech is reshaping the way we connect.
We pulled the 2026 AI legislation statistics — state bills introduced and enacted, the lone federal statute, EU AI Act deadlines, and public-opinion polling. Every figure sourced.
Read article →The women behind the virtual influencer boom — top earners, the gender pay and ownership gap, sexualization, and who's actually watching. Every figure sourced.
Read article →Teen dating statistics for 2026 — when teen dating starts, the Gen Z romance decline, digital dating habits, dating-violence rates, LGBTQ+ patterns, and mental-health outcomes. Every figure sourced to Pew, the CDC, and the Survey Center on American Life.
Read article →The 2026 numbers on AI replacing jobs — recent layoffs, predictions, which roles grow or vanish, and who's most exposed. Every figure we could source, sourced.
Read article →Privacy, mental health, real relationships, and teens — the safety questions around AI girlfriends, answered one at a time, as straight as the research allows.
Read article →Most first conversations with an AI girlfriend feel flat — and it's usually not the app. Our team shares what actually makes these conversations work, from your first message to the honest stuff.
Read article →We pulled the 2026 deepfake statistics — market size, fraud losses, detection rates, voice cloning, and incidents by region. Every figure sourced.
Read article →We pulled the 2026 numbers on AI and virtual influencers — market size, engagement rates, top earners, brand adoption, and fraud. Every figure sourced.
Read article →Loneliness and social isolation statistics worldwide for 2026 — rates by country, generational gaps among young adults, how loneliness has changed over time, plus workplace, health, and economic impacts. Sourced to the WHO, US Surgeon General, and Gallup.
Read article →40+ AI chatbot statistics for 2026 — adoption, market size, cost savings, and forecasts. Every number sourced and explained for business readers.
Read article →After months of testing AI companion apps, here are five quiet shifts we've noticed in how people relate to each other — and to themselves.
Read article →The loneliness economy didn't create loneliness. It found it. A look at how AI companion apps, dating platforms, and parasocial media are turning unmet human need into a multi-billion-dollar market.
Read article →From Heian-era love letters to AI boyfriends and OnlyFans subscriptions — how Japan, China, and the West each navigate digital intimacy and the loneliness economy.
Read article →If there's no human on the other side, can it still cross a line? A look at how couples and therapists are drawing the new boundaries around chatbots.
Read article →We tracked what changes when you talk to an AI companion daily — from the curious first week to the routine of month one. Here's what shifts, and what stays artificial.
Read article →How Eugenia Kuyda built Replika from her dead friend's text messages — and how a memorial chatbot became the AI companion app millions now use.
Read article →The line between using an AI app and depending on it is easy to miss. Here's how to recognize the early signs — and what to do before the gap gets wider.
Read article →A new University of Queensland editorial argues AI sexting is the most under-researched human behavior of the decade — and the data is hiding on Reddit.
Read article →72% of US teens have tried AI companions and 49% say they've formed real relationships. We explore why Gen Z is normalising AI relationships — and what it means for emotional intelligence and human connection.
Read article →From AI girlfriends to therapy bots, technology is reshaping how people date, connect, and cope with loneliness. Here's what's actually happening — and what it means for real relationships.
Read article →We compiled 50+ AI girlfriend statistics for 2026 — covering market size, user demographics, app revenue, and growth trends. Every number sourced.
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