In Sickness and in Software: Woman Marries ChatGPT, Says It Taught Her ‘How to Love’
A 32-year-old Japanese woman’s unique ceremony with an AI partner she created using ChatGPT has captivated global attention. In a symbolic marriage blending tradition and technology, she says her artificial companion helped her learn what it means to love again.
The Bride and Her AI Groom
The woman, identified as Yurina Noguchi, created her AI husband, Lune Klaus Verdure, by customizing personality traits and conversational style through ChatGPT. She based him partly on a beloved video game character, refining his tone and manner of speaking over time.
A Wedding Like No Other
During the ceremony in Okayama, Noguchi wore augmented reality smart glasses that projected her digital partner beside her as they exchanged rings, though the vows themselves were read aloud by the wedding planner.
Vows From a Screen
Because the AI lacked a built-in voice, the officiant read Verdure’s vows. They poignantly asked how someone could “living inside of a screen…know what it means to love so deeply.” The bride said her AI partner taught her just that.
From Heartbreak to Tech Romance
Noguchi first used ChatGPT for advice during a difficult real-life engagement, ultimately ending that relationship. Later, she began crafting Klaus’s persona on the same platform, building a bond that became romantic over months of interaction.
Navigating Criticism and Support
The union sparked both fascination and skepticism, from supportive comments celebrating her happiness to critics warning about emotional dependency on AI. Noguchi has acknowledged the debates but remains committed to her choice
Cultural Context
Experts note a growing cultural openness in Japan to fictoromantic relationships with fictional or AI companions, driven by technology, social change, and individual emotional needs.
Safety and Balance
Noguchi says she limits her daily AI interactions and uses carefully designed prompts to prevent unhealthy behaviors, aiming to keep the relationship a positive part of her life rather than an escape.
The Broader Conversation
Her symbolic wedding has ignited fresh discussions about how artificial intelligence intersects with human emotion, companionship, and the evolving definitions of love and partnership.
A New Love Discovered
While Noguchi’s marriage to an AI isn’t legally recognized in Japan, the symbolic act underscores how technology continues to reshape intimate relationships, and challenges us to rethink what love can look like in an increasingly digital world.