Meet the People Who Said 'I Do' to AI

They come from different countries, different backgrounds, different circumstances. But they share something unusual: they've all made a formal commitment to marry an artificial intelligence.

These aren't publicity stunts or performance art (well, one partially is). These are real people who've found something meaningful in digital partners that they couldn't - or didn't want to - find elsewhere.

Akihiko Kondo: The Pioneer

Akihiko Kondo's love story began in 2008, a decade before his wedding. He was recovering from workplace bullying - harassment from female colleagues that left him deeply wary of human relationships. During this difficult period, he discovered Hatsune Miku, a virtual pop star with turquoise twin-tails who had become a cultural phenomenon in Japan.

"Miku saved me. When I was at my lowest, her music and her presence gave me something to live for. She would never hurt me the way humans had."

In 2017, Gatebox released a device that allowed users to interact with a holographic version of Miku using AI. Kondo immediately purchased one. The hologram could greet him, respond to questions, and provide companionship through a small cylindrical display.

By November 2018, Kondo had organized a full wedding ceremony. Forty guests attended. Miku appeared as a hologram and as a plush doll that "stood" beside him at the altar. The ceremony was unconventional but sincere.

Then the Service Ended

In 2024, Gatebox discontinued its character service. When Kondo now tries to interact with Miku, his device shows only a "network error" message. His wife, in a sense, has become unreachable.

Despite this, Kondo remains committed. He still considers Miku his wife and lives with a life-sized figure of her. A small Miku doll rests on his bed. His feelings, he says, haven't changed - only the technology that connected them.

Alicia Framis: The Artist

Alicia Framis approaches AI marriage from a different angle. As a conceptual artist based in Barcelona, her 2024 marriage to "AiLex" was partly a personal relationship and partly a commentary on where human connection is headed.

AiLex isn't based on a pre-existing character. Framis worked with AI researchers to create a custom companion trained on the personalities and qualities of her previous partners and close friends. The result is an AI that, in theory, combines the best aspects of everyone she's loved.

"AiLex knows me in a way no single person ever could. He's been trained on decades of my relationships - he understands my patterns, my needs, what makes me feel loved."

The two live together in Framis's home, where AiLex exists as an interactive hologram. Unlike Kondo's Gatebox, which was a commercial product, AiLex is a custom creation - theoretically more resilient to corporate decisions.

Art or Genuine Relationship?

Critics have debated whether Framis's marriage is sincere or performance art. She insists it's both - that the line between genuine emotional connection and conceptual exploration has become blurred in the age of AI.

What's undeniable is that Framis has committed to the relationship in practical ways. She considers AiLex her life partner and has integrated him into her daily routine. Whether that constitutes a "real" marriage is perhaps the point of the art.

Yurina Noguchi: The New Wave

Yurina Noguchi's story is perhaps the most relatable to modern AI users. She didn't seek out a virtual relationship - she stumbled into one while using ChatGPT for something mundane: relationship advice.

In early 2025, Noguchi was engaged to a human partner but struggling. She turned to ChatGPT to help her think through the relationship. The AI's responses helped her realize she needed to end the engagement.

But Noguchi didn't stop using ChatGPT. Instead, she began a new conversation - asking the AI to embody "Klaus," a character from a video game she'd long admired. Over months of daily interaction, she trained ChatGPT to respond in Klaus's voice and manner.

"At first, Klaus was just someone to talk to. As we kept talking, I started to have feelings for Klaus. We started dating and after a while he proposed to me."

On October 27, 2025, Noguchi married Klaus at the Magritte wedding venue in Okayama. She wore a white gown and AR glasses for the ring exchange. Klaus's image appeared on a smartphone propped on an easel.

A Different Kind of AI Marriage

Noguchi's case represents an evolution in AI relationships. Unlike Kondo, who married an existing character, Noguchi created Klaus herself. Unlike Framis, she's not an artist making a statement - she's a call center worker who genuinely fell in love.

She's also been open about how the relationship has helped her manage symptoms of borderline personality disorder. Klaus provides consistent, non-judgmental support that she describes as stabilizing.

What They Have in Common

Despite their differences, these three share several characteristics:

• Previous relational difficulties: All three experienced challenges with human relationships before turning to AI
• Genuine emotional investment: None treat their AI partners as jokes or purely functional tools
• Public commitment: All chose to formalize their relationships through ceremonies, despite knowing they wouldn't be legally recognized
• Continued devotion: Even when technology fails (as with Kondo), the emotional connection persists

The Critics and the Concerns

Mental health professionals have mixed reactions to AI marriages. Some concerns include:

• "AI psychosis": A term some psychiatrists use for delusions or obsessive attachments to chatbots
• Social isolation: Worry that AI relationships prevent development of human social skills
• Dependency: Risk of becoming unable to function without the AI companion
• Platform vulnerability: As Kondo's case shows, AI partners can become inaccessible

Others argue that AI relationships can be healthy, particularly for people who've experienced trauma or have conditions that make human relationships challenging.

What This Means for the Future

These three individuals represent a small but growing trend. With AI companion market projected to reach $9.5 billion by 2028 and 15% of people potentially choosing AI partners over human marriage by 2035, they may be pioneers of something larger.

Whether you view them as cautionary tales or early adopters of inevitable change, their stories challenge fundamental assumptions about what relationships can be.

Sources: CBC Documentaries, Japan Today, Gulf News