I thought AI girlfriends were unsettling — then I discovered people are building chatbot versions of their ex-partners

https://www.techradar.com/author/becca-caddy· May 16, 2026 · 9:00 AM UTC ·12 min read · 0 reactions · 0 comments · 23 views

#ai relationships #emotional health #privacy #grief #technology ethics

TL;DR · WeSearch summary

Some individuals are using AI to create digital replicas of their ex-partners by feeding chat logs, photos, and social media content into AI tools. This practice, while offering emotional comfort, raises concerns about consent, privacy, and psychological wellbeing. Though the trend may still be niche, it reflects broader questions about AI's role in human relationships and grief processing.

Key facts

▪People are using AI platforms like Colleague.skill to recreate their ex-partners based on personal data such as chat logs and photos.
▪The AI clones mimic the ex's tone and speech patterns, enabling seemingly authentic conversations.
▪Psychological and ethical concerns include emotional dependency, lack of consent from the person being replicated, and privacy risks.
▪Originally designed for workplace knowledge preservation, Colleague.skill has been repurposed for personal and emotional uses.
▪The rise of customizable AI companions suggests this behavior may be more widespread than currently reported.

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Original publisher	TechRadar
Canonical URL	https://www.techradar.com/ai-platforms-assistants/i-thought-ai-girlfriends-were-unsettling-then-i-discovered-people-are-building-chatbot-versions-of-their-ex-partners
Publication time	Sat, 16 May 2026 09:00:00 +0000
Retrieval time	2026-05-16T09:05:17.934Z
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AI Platforms & Assistants I thought AI girlfriends were unsettling — then I discovered people are building chatbot versions of their ex-partners Opinion By Becca Caddy published 16 May 2026 Why recreating your ex with AI might keep you stuck in grief When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Your ex blocked you. The AI version didn’t. (Image credit: Getty Images / pocketlight) Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter I've covered a lot of ground when it comes to AI and human connection.

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