The Unspoken Young Men Crisis: AI Girlfriends

Large-language models and AI chatbots are changing how we approach work, leisure, relationships, and our very understanding of humanity. And now, AI companionship bots threaten to neuter an entire generation of young men.

America’s young men are adrift on a rudderless ship. Today, many of them are denied moral formation, lack authentic masculine role models, and face severe social isolation.

Unfortunately, there is nothing tying these lost boys to the mast to avoid the siren song of a sycophantic, frictionless substitute for real human interaction: AI chatbots, often based on popular models, designed to simulate romantic interactions.

Take it from us, two young male college students. Whether you’re at a small, Christian university or a large, well-known state school, the struggles of American men are ubiquitous. And that makes the risk of romantic AI companionship all the more daunting.

When society loses its sense of morality, human nature becomes a debate. Unfortunately, we have blurred the lines between man and machine. Abolishing these boundaries has developed a damaging permission structure around human sexuality.

We’ve seen it already with pornography. Men and women both are bombarded with hypersexualized, objectifying online content. There were at one time obstacles to accessing pornographic material, whether social condemnation or physical barriers to purchase. Now it’s a click away.

Recent studies show that close to 90% of men report “lifetime exposure” to pornography. Median age of first exposure is 12 years old. Even among the male cohort at Christian universities, the problem is real.

Pornography turns a human being with a soul and human dignity into an object. It conditions men to see women as a sort of device for pleasure.

More specifically, it teaches men to see women as a kind of machine designed to satisfy lust.

AI girlfriends reverse this, turning machines into substitutes for women. They promise all the material satisfaction that young men lust for without any of the humanity.

Part of the human condition is social friction: Finding friends—and girlfriends—requires awkward conversations, navigating emotions, and the possibility of rejection. That friction is hard to navigate, but it’s ultimately good for young men. It’s a struggle at times, but it’s beautiful because it teaches us what it is to love. It’s what makes us human.

That painful but crucial reality is lost on many young men these days. It has become hard to find men—or women—our age not jaded by modern dating culture. And we get it. The inclination to listen to influencers who lament the state of contemporary dating and relationships is understandable. But that does not justify the decision to listen to those who conclude real love is impossible.

Your AI girlfriend can never replace a woman who deeply loves you.

As early as 2024, a study found that one in four members of Gen Z believe AI can replace human relationships. Jarringly, 45% found the possibility “intriguing” or “exciting.” These statistics aren’t surprising.

Like so many corporations before them, AI companies know that lust makes a pretty profit. This frontier technology makes giving in to lust seemingly interactive. These sites advertise qualities like, “strong memory and conversation flow,” “high-quality image generation and voice calls,” and of course, “full character customization.”

Who needs a woman when you can text an algorithm who will never reject you?

These websites give users the ability to design their AI girlfriends from the ground up. They’re fully submissive, doing whatever the user wants. Bad things happen when men are conditioned to expect women to cheerfully submit to their every sexual whim.

It is apt we that call these relationships“artificial.”

These chatbots are increasingly common. One study found that 75% of teenagers have used these companionship platforms at least once, with half that number using companionship websites at least a few times a month. Harvard Business Review found that “Companionship and Therapy” are the top uses of A.I. for the last two years.

Thus far, our culture has failed on pornography. Relationship chatbots raise the potential for an even greater failure. Our call for help is coming from inside the house.

Americans are ignoring a fundamental threat to those who ensure the survival of their civilizations: young men. If even Communist China feels compelled to address this issue, what should that tell us about how serious it is?

We don’t need AI girlfriends as yet another means to exploit young men.

But take it from us. That has the potential to change, and rapidly, with nascent trends poised to accelerate. Past is often prologue, and the throughline with pornography is undeniable.

A.I. has the potential to benefit society. But our few years with chatbots have shown enough examples of psychosis.

We must unplug the A.I. girlfriends.

For good.