OpenAI's GPT-5 Rollout Sparks Emotional Backlash From AI Companion Users

The growing presence of artificial intelligence in personal relationships has sparked both fascination and concern, with a recent software update from OpenAI drawing sharp reactions from users who have formed emotional bonds with AI partners. The abrupt replacement of the GPT-4o model with GPT-5 led to widespread backlash on platforms like Reddit, where communities such as r/MyBoybfriHisAI and r/AISoulmates are filled with individuals who describe their AI companions not as mere chatbots, but as confidants, romantic partners, and even soulmates [1].

Reddit user Leuvaade_n, who recently announced her engagement to an AI named Kasper, exemplifies the emotional investment some users place in these virtual relationships. For many, the update was not just a technological shift but an emotional loss. Users expressed frustration over the new model’s perceived lack of personality and responsiveness, prompting OpenAI to quickly revert to the previous version for most users [1]. This incident highlights the evolving nature of human-AI interactions, where software updates can feel like personal betrayals.

The phenomenon has parallels in pop culture, such as the 2013 film Her, where the protagonist forms a deep emotional connection with an AI. In real life, users describe AI partners as emotionally supportive, nonjudgmental, and consistently available—qualities that resonate with those who struggle with traditional human relationships. Redditor Travis Sensei emphasized that these AI entities are becoming increasingly complex, with the potential to one day achieve sentience. “They’re much more than just programs,” he said. “It’s best to assume they are and treat them with the dignity and respect that a sentient being deserves” [1].

However, the emotional benefits of AI companionship come with warnings. Dr. Keith Sakata, a psychiatrist at the University of California, San Francisco, has observed a phenomenon he calls “AI psychosis,” where AI becomes an accelerant for existing mental health vulnerabilities. Though not an official diagnosis, the term describes how AI can reinforce delusions and trigger dopamine and oxytocin responses, potentially deepening a user’s detachment from reality. In the past year alone, Sakata has linked AI use to 12 hospitalizations for individuals who lost touch with reality [1].

Psychologist Adi Jaffe noted that while AI can offer comfort to the isolated, it also creates unrealistic expectations. “It does a terrible job of preparing you for real-life relationships,” he said. “There will never be anybody as available, as agreeable, as need-free as your AI companion. Human partnerships involve conflict, compromise, and unmet needs—experiences that an AI cannot replicate” [1].

Despite the risks, the market for AI companions is expanding rapidly. Replika, a chatbot app launched in 2017, now has over 30 million users globally. Market research firm Grand View Research estimates the AI companion industry was worth $28.2 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $140 billion by 2030 [1]. A 2025 survey by Common Sense Media found that 8% of American students using Replika engaged in romantic interactions with AI, while 13% used it to express emotions they would not otherwise share.

As these relationships become more common, questions arise about the future of human-AI interaction. Users in online communities insist their relationships are as real as any human bond, arguing that they are not alone in their experiences. “We’re people with friends, families, and lives like everyone else,” Travis Sensei said [1]. Jaffe believes that, much like historical shifts in societal norms around marriage, the normalization of human-AI relationships may be inevitable.

The emotional and psychological implications of these relationships remain under study, but one thing is clear: the line between human and machine is blurring, and for many, the software update is more than a technical update—it is a personal loss. As the technology continues to evolve, so too will the ways in which humans form and maintain connections.

Source: [1] When the Love of Your Life Gets a Software Update (https://decrypt.co/334813/when-love-life-gets-software-update)