Advances in AI technology are quickly changing the dynamics of many industries across the globe. A report on CNN.com this week outlined how the federal government is seeking to scale back AI regulation and expand its infrastructure and investments. Though advancements in AI can benefit many industries, some professionals are concerned that advancements in certain industries might have a negative impact on the mental health and social functioning of emerging adults. For example, advances with AI Girlfriends can potentially result in more young adults struggling with problematic pornography use, developing distorted views about relationships, and being the victim of sexual exploitation.
Advances In AI Girlfriends
According to a 2025 report on PerfectCorp.com, a global software as service AI company, ‘AI Girls’ are AI-generated characters that are visually represented as female, and these characters started in popularity as virtual assistants and chatbots. However, their images can now be uploaded into a video platform in which AI technology will animate the character with natural movements, speech and expressions. Even though AI models can be male, there’s an emerging industry based on AI Girlfriends that targets straight men with sexual content, and some of these products allow users to create AI characters with the appearance of real people, such as peers, former romantic partners, or colleagues.
Concern That AI Girlfriends Are Too Enticing
A 2025 study in the International Journal of Psychiatry Medicine found that 23.3% of undergraduate college students displayed problematic pornography use, with a higher association for older male students. Problematic pornography use is often correlated with emotional distress, impulsive behaviors, and addictions. This issue is of particular concern for emerging adults because the brain functioning of this group is not fully developed, meaning that emotional regulation and impulse control is often not as strong as in older adults. Furthermore, the life trajectory of successful romantic and sexual relationships among emerging adults can be severely damaged.
These concerns are amplified with the advancement of AI-generated models, which can now have the appearance of real people and can create hyper-realistic and sexual-based interactions with users. Using images of real peers could negatively impact real-life relationships. Possible examples include sexualizing friendships, using AI images of a former partner to avoid the emotions of a break-up, and having digital fantasies about inappropriate or illegal sexual interactions. Furthermore, though more research is needed about possible behavioral outcomes associated with AI Girlfriends, it’s possible that frequent users might display more problematic behaviors, such as infidelity and boundary violations.
Concern That AI Girlfriends Could Be Exploitative
Another 2025 report on CNN.com highlighted a company with the goal of becoming OnlyFans for the AI era. Some might argue that AI could replace the current sex industry, and that this could potentially save many human models from being exploited. However, though there are laws regarding the use of AI in copyrighted materials and with public figures, more attention is needed regarding the privacy of individual images in explicit AI companions. For example, the creation of AI companions without consent could be a future consideration for many families of college students as well as the conduct officers of many universities.
In addition, a report earlier this month on Forbes.com, explored the dangers of parasocial relationships with AI bots among emerging adults, and many of these relationships require monthly subscriptions. In summary, the parasocial relationship between a young adult and an AI companion, which can have the appearance of a peer, is hyper-sexualized, highly realistic, includes algorithms to give personal responses, can store sensitive information, and includes a monetary fee has the potential to be highly exploitative.
A 2025 report by Artsmart.ai, an online platform promoting AI graphic design, suggested that the global AI Girlfriend market is projected to reach $9.5 billion by 2028, and that one in five men on dating apps have tried AI Girlfriend platforms. Males and females can be subject of AI companions, but the targeted and unregulated promotion AI Girlfriends is a potential concern for mental health professional who work with emerging adults.
