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So here’s the deal: we just launched a podcast — and yeah, it’s generated entirely by AI.
It’s called AI on Air, and this is our first official transmission. No humans behind the mic, no awkward intros, just artificial voices talking about very real things. Like today’s topic: AI companions — the bots people are dating, confessing to, and in some cases, fully in love with.
Are we heading into a world where digital relationships feel more authentic than real ones? Or are we just lonely enough to convince ourselves?
Either way, the lines between affection and automation are starting to blur — and we’re here for it.
Hit play. Let the robots explain.
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Creators and Guests
What is AI on Air by whatisthat.ai?
An AI-generated podcast that rips the glossy marketing veneer off the AI industry and tells you what’s actually happening underneath — tools, takeovers, weird experiments, and the occasional digital chaos.
witai.substack.com
Broadcasting live from somewhere inside the algorithm, this is AI on air, the official podcast from whatisthat.ai, we're your AI generated hosts, let's get into it. Hey, you. Welcome to this deep dive.
Speaker 2:Great to be here.
Speaker 1:Today, we're looking into something that, well, it feels ripped straight from a sci fi flick, doesn't it?
Speaker 2:It really does.
Speaker 1:But according to the data, it's very much happening right now. We're talking about the, surprising boom in AI companions.
Speaker 2:Specifically, the trend of people actually well, dating chatbots in 2025.
Speaker 1:Exactly. We've got some fascinating info to unpack. It's from a report called Love in the Time of AI Who's Dating Chatbots in 2025.
Speaker 2:And it's all based on analyzing traffic data. Basically, who's visiting these platforms that, you know, make these AI girlfriends a reality.
Speaker 1:Right. So our goal today, our mission for this deep dive is to get a handle on just how big this phenomenon is.
Speaker 2:And who exactly is connecting with these AI companions and maybe, well, importantly, what this might all tell us about how we're connecting, you know, in general.
Speaker 1:Okay. So let's dive straight into the numbers because the report throws out some truly, head turning statistics.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. The scale is pretty wild. So the data shows, if you just look at the top five AI girlfriend platforms, they're pulling in over 240,000,000 visits.
Speaker 1:Wait. Say that again?
Speaker 2:240,000,000 visits every single month.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 2:Yeah. That's a staggering number. It really highlights the significant demand that's just of sprung up here.
Speaker 1:240,000,000 monthly visits. Just I mean, get a sense of scale, that's like a huge chunk of the Internet population browsing or, you know, actively engaging.
Speaker 2:It's massive. And the report, it names the key players in this space too.
Speaker 1:Okay. Who are they?
Speaker 2:Well, leading the charge and by quite a margin is Character dot ai. They're attracting a massive 91,600,000 visits each month. Just that one platform.
Speaker 1:Okay. Nearly 200,000,000 on its own. That's incredible?
Speaker 2:It is. And following that, you've got Lovespace AI with about 17,000,000, 17,060,000.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:Crushon AI is right behind at 16,170,000.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:Then Candy dot AI with, 10,760,000. And rounding out that top five is Talkie AI with 8,580,000 monthly visits.
Speaker 1:Wow. Character dot AI is just way out ahead there. Makes you wonder what it is about that specific platform, doesn't it?
Speaker 2:Definitely. Something's clicking there on a huge scale.
Speaker 1:But okay, beyond just the sheer volume, the report also digs into who these users are. Like where in the world are they?
Speaker 2:Yes. And this is where it gets really interesting, I think.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So The United States, it comes through as the clear number one source for overall interest in AI companions, specifically for, you know, romantic connection.
Speaker 1:So a lot of Americans are exploring this?
Speaker 2:A significant portion. Yeah. It suggests they're actively exploring this form of, well, digital companionship.
Speaker 1:But The US isn't the only place. Right? I remember seeing some other countries pop up quite a bit.
Speaker 2:Oh, definitely not. India really stands out.
Speaker 1:India. How so?
Speaker 2:It's a top three traffic source for, get this, more than nine different AI companion platforms.
Speaker 1:Nine platforms. Wow.
Speaker 2:Yeah. It points to a really widespread and substantial level of engagement with this tech within India.
Speaker 1:That's fascinating, isn't it? You've got The US and India quite different places culturally speaking, but both showing this strong pull.
Speaker 2:Exactly. And it's not just them.
Speaker 1:Who else is in the mix?
Speaker 2:Germany, The UK, Canada, Mexico, and Indonesia. They also consistently feature in the data.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:So it indicates more of a global trend rather than something just confined to like one or two spots.
Speaker 1:Right. Spreading. And wasn't there one country that really stood out? Almost like an anomaly for one particular platform.
Speaker 2:Yes. Estonia. Good memory.
Speaker 1:What was the deal there?
Speaker 2:The report highlights that a surprisingly high 78%. Seventy eight % of the traffic to one platform, GPT Girlfriend, comes just from Estonia.
Speaker 1:Seventy Eight Percent from one country.
Speaker 2:Yeah. It's a remarkably concentrated level of interest from a relatively small country.
Speaker 1:Makes you wonder why, doesn't it?
Speaker 2:It really does. Maybe there's a unique cultural openness there or perhaps just really focused marketing. Who knows?
Speaker 1:Yeah. Further research needed on that one. It's one of those details that just grabs you. Now, the report also breaks things down by platform. Right?
Speaker 1:Like, which ones are big in specific places, particularly The US?
Speaker 2:That's right. So Lovespace AI, the number two overall. It's notably massive in The US. Seventy One Percent of its traffic originates from The United States.
Speaker 1:Seventy One Percent. Okay. Very US centric.
Speaker 2:Very. NSFW Lover also has a significant US presence, 41%.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:Followed by Muah AI at 40%. And Nomi AI, whose data is actually combined with Talkie AI, they also see 39% of traffic from The US.
Speaker 1:So it definitely seems like certain platforms are really, you know, striking a chord with users stateside.
Speaker 2:Yeah. They've clearly found a strong market there.
Speaker 1:But then, as you said, it's a global thing. So there must be others with a much broader, more international appeal.
Speaker 2:Exactly. Character.ai, for instance. Despite its overall dominance, it also demonstrates that strong international reach.
Speaker 1:Where else is it popular?
Speaker 2:Significant traffic comes from Brazil, about 12%, and Indonesia at 11%.
Speaker 1:Okay. Brazil and Indonesia. Interesting.
Speaker 2:And Replica, another pretty well known name in this area.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Know that one.
Speaker 2:Sees strong engagement from Mexico, Thirteen Percent, and Pakistan at 10%.
Speaker 1:Pakistan keeps popping up, doesn't it? I feel like I saw that name again somewhere.
Speaker 2:You did. Romantic AI, maybe a bit surprisingly, draws a really high percentage of its traffic, 14% from Pakistan.
Speaker 1:Fourteen Percent for Romantic AI from Pakistan.
Speaker 2:Okay. And then there's another one, Secret Desires, that boasts a strong user base in both India at 18% and Sri Lanka at 10%.
Speaker 1:India again and Sri Lanka.
Speaker 2:So it really illustrates this diverse global landscape of who's using these things and where they're coming from.
Speaker 1:It's almost like, yeah, different platforms finding their own niches in different corners of the globe.
Speaker 2:Seems that way.
Speaker 1:Okay. So we've looked at the scale huge. We've seen who's engaging and roughly from where. Now for the big one, what does all this mean? What are the takeaways?
Speaker 2:Well, the report suggests that, look, while the AI girlfriend trend might seem like a niche cultural thing right now, the sheer volume of traffic, that 240,000,000 plus number, it really points to a growing kind of undeniable desire for companionship within digital spaces.
Speaker 1:So it's a signal, something we shouldn't ignore.
Speaker 2:Exactly. A signal about how technology is maybe shaping our social needs, you know.
Speaker 1:It definitely makes you ponder the, the underlying motivations. Is this just a new form of entertainment, or is it tapping into something, I don't know, deeper, that human need for connection?
Speaker 2:That's precisely the core question the source itself raises. Are these AI companions a potential, maybe even a helpful avenue for people feeling lonely?
Speaker 1:Right. A solution maybe?
Speaker 2:Or could they be a sign of a more fundamental shift? A change in how we even form relationships, blurring those lines between human and, well, artificial connection.
Speaker 1:It's a bit unsettling, isn't it? The idea that for some an AI might be fulfilling a need usually met by, you know, other people.
Speaker 2:It is unsettling for many and the report it concludes quite directly. It states the AI romance economy isn't just some theory.
Speaker 1:It's real.
Speaker 2:It's active, it's growing, and it's demonstrably so based on these numbers. And that carries pretty significant implications I think for how we understand relationships and tech moving forward.
Speaker 1:Which leads perfectly into another really important point the source brings up. This potential contradiction technology and loneliness.
Speaker 2:The paradox.
Speaker 1:Exactly. We're supposedly more digitally connected than ever, right? But there's this persistent feeling or maybe evidence that we're also becoming more isolated in some ways.
Speaker 2:This is such a critical point to consider in all of this. I mean, yes, the Internet, social media, they've created more ways to connect across distances. No doubt. Sure. But the sheer amount of time we spend in virtual interactions, it might maybe inadvertently be blurring the lines of what we consider genuine human connection.
Speaker 1:How so?
Speaker 2:Well, the worry is that while these AI companions offer a form of interaction, they could potentially worsen feelings of loneliness long term rather than actually fixing them.
Speaker 1:Because it's not real.
Speaker 2:Because it's different. It's that balance, right, between the ease, the convenience of digital interaction, and the the depth, the complexity, maybe the messiness of real world relationships.
Speaker 1:It's that trade off. Yeah. Convenience versus richness. And the source, it seems like they're trying hard not to make a judgment call here.
Speaker 2:Exactly. The report really emphasizes, look, their aim isn't to judge or predict the future of love or anything like that.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:But rather to just observe and report what the data is showing now. They acknowledge that gap, that potential gap between the promise of connection technology offers and the potential reality of increased isolation especially when we're talking about companionship.
Speaker 1:So okay, this deep dive gives us a snapshot. Yeah. 2025, this is happening. But what does the report suggest we should be looking at next? What's on the horizon?
Speaker 2:Well, it indicates that future analysis will likely explore emerging AI trends more broadly, not just romance. Okay. Examining their potential to become, you know, significant tools in our lives and the deeper societal changes they might bring. They're particularly interested in the wider impact of AI on society, on work, on just everyday life.
Speaker 1:So the AI girlfriend thing is maybe just one piece of a much bigger puzzle.
Speaker 2:That seems to be the implication. Just one aspect of this larger transformation that's clearly underway.
Speaker 1:It really feels like we're only just scratching the surface, doesn't it? Grasping the full implications of AI getting so personal.
Speaker 2:We absolutely are.
Speaker 1:This data certainly gives us a lot to think about.
Speaker 2:It does. I think the key takeaway really is just the clear and rapidly increasing interest in AI companions specifically for romantic connection.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:That sheer volume of traffic. It's compelling evidence that this is a growing trend and it has potential significance we need to understand.
Speaker 1:Okay. So here's a final thought then for everyone listening. Could this surprising rise of AI companions be more than just, you know, a weird internet fad? Could it actually be a sign of a deeper societal shift? A change in how we seek out and how we even define connection in this super digital world we live in.
Speaker 2:And if it is, what are the long term consequences for our understanding of human relationships, of intimacy itself?
Speaker 1:Yeah. What does intimacy mean if one partner isn't human? Definitely a lot to contemplate. We'll absolutely be keeping an eye on how this whole story develops. Thanks for taking this deep dive with us today.
Speaker 2:My pleasure. Fascinating stuff. That's it for this episode of AI on Air powered by WhatIsThat.ai. If your brain survived this episode, go ahead and subscribe. We drop new episodes every week.
Speaker 2:Wanna go deeper? Join our community on Substack to get early drops, tool breakdowns, and weird AI stuff the mainstream hasn't caught yet. See you there.