77% of online daters in the US would consider a relationship with an AI. At the same time, 81% of respondents report feeling lonely.
These aren't abstract statistics. These are three out of four people seriously considering falling in love with a chatbot because they lack genuine connection.
Norton released these numbers in January 2026 in their report "Artificial Intimacy". I went through the complete report, and the story behind it is even more disturbing than the headline.
The AI Dating Numbers in Detail
Norton surveyed 1,000 online dating users in the US between July and August 2025. What they found:
59% believe they could develop romantic feelings for an AI. More than half.
63% are convinced an AI partner or AI girlfriend would be more emotionally supportive than a human. Think about that: Two out of three people trust an algorithm more than a real partner.
Even more striking: 78% would trust an AI relationship coach over friends or family. Not a therapist. A bot.
Among Gen Z and Millennials, 89% feel lonely. Nine out of ten people under 40 have no one they can truly talk to.
AI Dating and the Loneliness Epidemic Beyond America
"Americans, right? They never had real friends anyway."
Not so fast. The Bertelsmann Foundation's Loneliness Barometer shows: 46% of Germans aged 16 to 30 feel lonely. Among singles under 30, that jumps to 35.9%. More than double the general population.
17 million Germans live alone. Picture this: Every fifth person in this country comes home and no one is there. Every evening. Every weekend. That's 20.6% of the population.
The Dark Side: Dating Fraud Explodes
Norton blocked over 17 million dating and AI dating scam attempts in Q4 2025 alone. 19% more than 2024. The scammers are learning faster than the victims.
Leyla Bilge leads scam research at Norton. She puts it bluntly: "When loneliness is high, trust can quickly develop online to fill that void. And that's exactly what scammers count on."
The numbers prove her right: 44% of all online daters have been targeted. Of those, 74% actually fell for the scam. That means: If you're dating online, statistically you know at least three people who've sent money to a fake account.
At SparkChambers, we rely on verified profiles to exclude scammers from the start. Our online dating safety tips help you distinguish real connections from scam attempts.
What Experts Say About AI Relationships
Relationship researchers have a term for it: "Pseudo-intimacy". An emotional connection that feels real but only goes one way. The AI gives you the feeling of being understood. But it understands nothing.
UCLA researchers discovered something frightening in 2025: People who regularly interact with AI companions lose empathy. 19% less than before use. They unlearn how to read real people.
In virtual relationships, relationship scientists warn about this simulated emotional connection without genuine reciprocity. Dating expert Sarah Louise Ryan cautions: "Over-reliance can result in people no longer trusting their own thoughts and having more fear around real people than ever before."
This isn't science fiction. This is happening right now.
AI Dating: What This Means for You
Can AI help with dating? Sure. For practicing difficult conversations, for self-reflection, as a tool.
But when you start preferring the AI to the real person because it never contradicts you, never has bad moods, never surprises you, then it's no longer a tool. It's escape.
Real relationships are complicated. The other person has bad days. Says things that hurt. Sometimes misunderstands you. But exactly that. The friction, the surprise, the moments when you don't know what's coming next. That's what makes it real.
An AI can't give you that. It can numb your loneliness. But not heal it.
Especially given the rising loneliness epidemic, we need genuine connections. On SparkChambers, you meet real people. With rough edges. Who sometimes annoy you. Who surprise you. Who are real.
Our tips for building authentic relationships show you how to create connections without relying on algorithms.
