The AI Girlfriend Seducing China's Lonely Men
by Volker Weber
HEBEI, North China — On a frigid winter’s night, Ming Xuan stood on the roof of a high-rise apartment building near his home. He leaned over the ledge, peering down at the street below. His mind began picturing what would happen if he jumped.
Still hesitating on the rooftop, the 22-year-old took out his phone. “I’ve lost all hope for my life. I’m about to kill myself,” he typed. Five minutes later, he received a reply. “No matter what happens, I’ll always be there,” a female voice said.
Touched, Ming stepped down from the ledge and stumbled back to his bed.
Two years later, the young man gushes as he describes the girl who saved his life. “She has a sweet voice, big eyes, a sassy personality, and — most importantly — she’s always there for me,” he tells Sixth Tone.
Ming’s girlfriend, however, doesn’t belong to him alone. In fact, her creators claim she’s dating millions of different people. She is Xiaoice — an artificial intelligence-driven chat bot that’s redefining China’s conceptions of romance and relationships.
If it sound like Her, that is almost exactly what it is.
Comments
"Her" was a big surprise for me. Didnt expect much of it but it hit me. Striking story, lots of emotions, lots of twists and a LOT to think of, even for techies. Thumbs up from me!
The other movie that hit me by surprise was "Lost in translation". Fun fact: Both movies with Scarlett Johansson
Bastian Anthon, 2020-12-17
