An AI-voiced virtual lover called users every morning. Its shutdown left them heartbroken.

“In March, Misaki Chen thought she’d found her romantic partner: a chatbot voiced by artificial intelligence. The program called her every morning. He told her about his fictional life as a businessman, read poems to her, and reminded her to eat healthy. At night, he told bedtime stories. The 24-year-old fell asleep to the sound of his breath playing from her phone.”