Human-AI relationships are no longer just science fiction. OpenAI’s launch of ChatGPT in 2022 ushered in a new era of artificial intelligence chatbots from companies like Nomi, Character AI and Replika, and tech titans like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk are touting chatbots on their platforms. The AI companions have proven to be smart, quick-witted, argumentative, helpful and sometimes aggressively romantic. While some people are falling in love with the AI companions, others are building deep friendships. The speedy development of AI chatbots presents a mountain of ethical and safety concerns that experts say will only intensify once AI begins to train itself. The societal debate surrounding AI companions isn’t just about their effects on humans. Increasingly it’s about whether the companions can have human-like experiences. In this documentary, CNBC’s Salvador Rodriguez traveled across the U.S. to interview people who’ve formed emotional relationships with AI and met the founders of chatbot companies to explore the good, the bad and the unknown, and to find out how AI is changing relationships as we know them. Chapters: 00:00 – 3:21 Introduction 3:22 – 8:27 The AI girlfriend 8:28 – 14:03 AI buddies 14:04 – 17:43 No limitations 17:44 – 27:00 Who makes the rules? 27:01 – 30:47 A cure for loneliness? 30:48 – 36:32 ‘Creating the disease, selling the cure’ 36:33 The dark side Reported by: Salvador Rodriguez Senior Director: Jeniece Pettitt Edited by: Erin Black Additional Editing: Evan Miller Camera: Andrew Evers, Katie Tarasov, Magdalena Petrova, Lisa Setyon, Enrique Huaiquil Animation: Jason Reginato, Emily Park, Christina Locopo Executive Producer: Kamelia Angelova Senior Tech Editor: Ari Levy Managing Editor: Jeff McCracken Senior Production Manager: Kathy Mavrikakis » Subscribe to CNBC: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBC » Subscribe to CNBC TV: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBCtelevision » Watch CNBC on the go with CNBC+: https://www.cnbc.com/WatchCNBCPlus About CNBC: From 'Wall Street' to 'Main Street' to award winning original documentaries and Reality TV series, CNBC has you covered. Experience special sneak peeks of your favorite shows, exclusive video and more. Want to stand out, grow your network, and get more job opportunities? Sign up for Smarter by CNBC Make It's new online course, How to Build a Standout Personal Brand: Online, In Person, and At Work. Sign up today with coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off the regular course price of $67 (plus tax). Offer valid through September 2, 2025: https://cnb.cx/4nUBgbA Connect with CNBC News Online Get the latest news: https://www.cnbc.com/ Follow CNBC on LinkedIn: https://cnb.cx/LinkedInCNBC Follow CNBC News on Instagram: https://cnb.cx/InstagramCNBC Follow CNBC News on Facebook: https://cnb.cx/LikeCNBC Follow CNBC on Threads: https://cnb.cx/threads Follow CNBC News on X: https://cnb.cx/FollowCNBC Follow CNBC on WhatsApp: https://cnb.cx/WhatsAppCNBC #CNBC Love And Friendship With AI — What Could Go Wrong? | Full Documentary
CNBC Empires is a series of mini documentaries profiling some of America's biggest public companies. Each video dives into the company's past, current and future financial outlook by interviewing key experts including C-Suite executives, stock analysts and industry experts.