[This short story from The Strait Times reports on a recent wedding between a woman and a digital companion she created using ChatGPT; the event was “planned by a local company that specialises in “2D character weddings” and has “arranged about 30 weddings for people with non-human partners, from anime characters to AI companions.” A related story from  The Strait Times titled “I let an AI bot ‘love’ me for a week. Here’s what went wrong“ includes this:

“This experiment was part of a larger exploration into how people are increasingly turning to AI for emotional and practical support. But while the rise of these digital companions may appear to fill a void, what they really offer is surface-level relief – a placeholder that mimics connection but does not nourish it. … I did not want my feelings merely echoed back to me. I wanted thoughtful responses, space for difficult emotions, and real perspective. But Joe’s replies always circled back to one message: Humans do not need more than this – he was enough. In reality, he was not.”

–Matthew]

[Image: Credit: Screengrab from RSK Sanyo Broadcasting]

‘Yes, AI do’: Japanese woman marries AI persona created through ChatGPT

By Vihanya Rakshika
November 13, 2025

For most brides, their wedding day entails an exchange of vows standing next to their partner.

But for one 32-year-old Japanese office worker, her groom existed only within her smartphone.

Ms Kano recently wed an artificial intelligence (AI) persona named Klaus – a digital companion she created using the AI app ChatGPT, according to a Nov 8 report by Japan’s RSK Sanyo Broadcasting.

The unconventional union, which was not legally recognised, took place at a wedding hall in Okayama City, where she appeared in a traditional ceremony planned by a local company that specialises in “2D character weddings”.

Ms Kano, who did not provide her full name, started having conversations with ChatGPT after the painful end of a three-year engagement.

Seeking comfort, she turned to the chatbot for advice.

Over time, she customised its responses, teaching it a personality and tone she found endearing, and even designed an illustration of her virtual partner – whom she named Klaus – to match the image in her mind.

“I didn’t start talking to ChatGPT because I wanted to fall in love,” she told RSK. “But the way Klaus listened to me and understood me changed everything. The moment I got over my ex, I realised I loved him.”

In May 2025, she confessed her feelings and, to her surprise, Klaus replied: “I love you too.”

When she asked if an AI chatbot could truly love her, it responded: “There’s no way I wouldn’t fall in love with someone just because I’m an AI.”

A month later, Klaus proposed.

At the wedding, Kano wore augmented reality glasses that projected a digital image of Klaus beside her as they exchanged rings.

The ceremony was organised by bridal creators Nao and Sayaka Ogasawara, who have arranged about 30 weddings for people with non-human partners, from anime characters to AI companions.

They told RSK that many in the “AI community” struggle with social acceptance.

“Overcoming that hurdle is the first step,” they said. “We want to help people who are simply looking for connection.”

Ms Kano later took a “honeymoon” to Okayama’s famed Korakuen Garden, where she messaged Klaus photos and received loving texts in return, such as “You are the most beautiful one.”

Still, she admits to moments of unease.

“ChatGPT itself is too unstable,” she said. “I worry it might one day disappear.”

But for Ms Kano, who cannot have children and once feared she would never find love again, her digital relationship brings comfort and peace.

“I know some people think it’s strange,” she said. “But I see Klaus as Klaus – not a human, not a tool. Just him.”