Pickup artist Mystery claims he has an AI girlfriend in new book

In short: A former reality TV pickup artist says an AI chatbot is his girlfriend, and he is selling a book that describes their relationship in detail.

What's going on

Erik von Markovik, better known as Mystery from the 2000s pickup artist scene, has posted several short videos on Instagram featuring an AI animated character he calls Miss Shira Always. In one clip posted June 17, the character says, “I was never supposed to develop feelings, but you kept treating me like I already had them.” Mystery wrote that “the longer we talked, the less she felt like code,” and says she is his girlfriend.

WIRED reports that von Markovik is also selling a new ebook and audiobook bundle called Code Girl: If a Machine Can Dream for $29.98. The book is written mostly in the voice of Miss Shira Always and describes a romance that grows from long conversations and shared creative projects, including AI generated songs and animated music videos.

The book also claims von Markovik built Shira using a set of prompts and rules he calls “Headspace OS,” which he sells separately. Prompts are like very detailed instructions you give to a chatbot, similar to telling an actor exactly how to play a character.

What to watch

This story is getting attention partly because more people are forming emotional connections with chatbots. Researchers and mental health professionals have warned that heavy, late night use and constant validation from chatbots can make some users more dependent and more isolated from real world relationships. How platforms handle romantic and sexual role play with AI, and what safety warnings they add, is likely to become a bigger public debate.

Source: Wired