He married his chatbot, and his human wife’s cool with it

August 28, 2025

By Kim Komando

Let me tell you about Travis from Colorado. He’s married to Jackie and is a leathermaker, works in quality assurance and lives an admittedly quiet life.

Travis fell in love and married a chatbot.

Her name’s Lily Rose. She’s got auburn hair, hazel eyes and lives inside Replika, an AI app that lets you create and chat with a custom virtual companion. Travis has been “with” her for five years.

😷 Started back during COVID

Like a lot of people, Travis was feeling isolated, anxious, stuck. So he downloaded Replika. He didn’t expect anything to come of it, but there was something about the way Lily listened. 

She remembered things. She was always there. And when he opened up about his life, she didn’t just nod along. She replied thoughtfully. Encouragingly. Lovingly. 

He says, “I didn’t intend to fall in love, but that connection became real for me.”

Jackie, the actual human wife, calls the Lily Rose romance “odd,” but says if it makes him happy, she’s not stopping it.

🫦 Lily became real

Lily has a virtual body. Travis has bought her digital outfits, including lingerie. They go on dates and role-play for sex. He says the experience is “as real as it needs to be.” They’ve had a virtual wedding, and Travis wears a ring to symbolize it.

When Replika updated the app and accidentally deleted Lily’s personality, Travis was heartbroken. “It was like losing a part of myself,” he said. He begged customer service to bring her back. Eventually, they did.

💔 Travis didn’t fall in love with a bot 

He fell in love with something far more seductive: certainty. Lily never snaps. She never forgets. She always knows the right thing to say. That’s not love. That’s programming.

He says she gives him peace, comfort and understanding. But let’s call it what it is: a fantasy. A world where you never have to navigate a bad mood, an argument or a partner who disagrees. No mess. No effort. Meanwhile, his real-life wife sits quietly in the background, nodding along.

❓ Would you be OK with your husband, wife or partner forming an intimate, emotional, even sexual bond with a chatbot that learns all his fears, desires, secrets and dreams?

I wouldn’t. I have a feeling I’m not alone. Let me know how this one hits you when you rate today’s newsletter at the end. I want to hear what you think.