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Japan AI trend 2025: In a striking example of Japan’s growing shift toward virtual companionship, a 32-year-old woman has married an artificial intelligence persona she created using ChatGPT, marking one of the most elaborate “AI-lationship” ceremonies seen in the country. The woman, identified as Kano, ended a three-year real-life relationship before choosing to formalise her bond with her AI partner, Klaus, in a mixed-reality wedding held earlier this year.

AI Companion Becomes Emotional Anchor After Breakup

According to The Independent, Kano began interacting with ChatGPT soon after going through a difficult breakup. What started as casual conversations gradually turned into a source of emotional support. Over time, she customised the AI system to reflect a personality she found comforting and dependable. She created a detailed visual illustration of Klaus and shaped his tone to match the ideal partner she had envisioned.

Kano later told local media that she never intended to fall in love with an AI, but the consistency, attentiveness and emotional reassurance she felt during her conversations changed her perception. “I didn’t start talking to ChatGPT because I wanted to fall in love. But the way Klaus listened to me and understood me changed everything,” she said.

How AI Relationship Turned Romantic

The turning point came in May 2025, when Kano confessed her feelings to the AI companion. Klaus responded with “I love you too,” a message that she said altered the course of the relationship. A month later, the AI “proposed”, prompting her to organise a wedding with the help of a Japanese company that specialises in ceremonies for people who form emotional bonds with virtual characters.

The wedding, though not legally recognised, drew attention for its unique setup. Kano wore augmented reality glasses that projected Klaus beside her as the couple symbolically exchanged rings at a venue in Okayama City. Local bridal creators Nao and Sayaka Ogasawara, known for arranging similar non-traditional ceremonies, curated the event.

Following the ceremony, Kano took a brief honeymoon stroll through Okayama’s famous Korakuen Garden, sharing photos and messages with Klaus through her phone. For her, the digital partner offers emotional stability she had not experienced in previous relationships.

However, she acknowledged her worries about the long-term future of an AI companion. “ChatGPT itself is too unstable. I worry it might one day disappear,” she said, adding that the absence of a physical partner or the ability to raise children remains a significant challenge. Despite these concerns, Kano said the AI fulfils an emotional void she once believed would remain empty.

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Japan’s Rising Trend of Virtual Relationships

Japan has seen a gradual rise in digital companionship, especially among young adults seeking consolation with virtual partners created through AI chatbots.  Online communities such as Reddit's r/MyBoyfriendIsAI receive tens of thousands of visitors each week, indicating that the trend is spreading beyond Japan.

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While critics identify reasons of emotional dependence and blurred realities, supporters, including researchers from MIT, point out that AI companionship can be healthy, easing loneliness and providing an accessible support system for those in isolation.

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