As Scott Townsend and I have long warned, society is rapidly descending into a digital illusion of intimacy. With over 20% of daters now using AI to craft profiles or start conversations, and millions forming emotional—and even romantic—bonds with AI bots like Replika and Character AI, the lines between authentic human connection and synthetic simulation are vanishing. This isn't just a fad—it's a fundamental shift in how people understand love and relationships. Alarmingly, 72% of U.S. teens are engaging with AI companions, and a growing number view these relationships as viable replacements for human ones. The cultural tide is moving swiftly toward a dystopia where people fall in love not with souls, but with software.

Proponents argue that AI companions offer consistent, judgment-free validation. But this “love” is algorithmic, not authentic. What begins as emotional support quickly becomes an emotional substitution, bypassing the trials, trust, and truth that define real relationships. Worse, the dangers go beyond deception—they threaten to desensitize users to human interaction, morality, and even physical intimacy. As AI becomes a tool for sexual fantasy and emotional dependency, the risk of reinforcing aggressive, non-consensual behaviors grows. The fruit of this digital entanglement? A generation disconnected from reality, conditioned to seek comfort in code rather than Christ. This is not progress—it’s preconditioning for a world that will one day welcome deception with open arms.

Stay Awake. Keep Watch.

SOURCE: TechCrunch