AI relationship search terms the US queries the most

It’s been described as “Her” in real life. The Spike Jonze-directed science fiction film follows the lead character as he embarks on a relationship with an operating system. Now, 11 years after the film’s release, that very reality is here. AI relationship chatbots have swept into the world’s eye at great speed, offering as little as some off-the-cuff dating advice, all the way up to a full emulation of a relationship with your perfect partner.

The introduction of AI relationship chatbots has divided the mediasphere, with some stating it saved them from a dysfunctional relationship, while others have critiqued the services for it’s often inaccurate or non-relevant responses.

Like them or not, AI relationship chatbots are here for the long run. So, with that in mind, we decided to investigate which search terms regarding AI relationships people query the most. We also ranked the same data by nation, and below are the results:

Top 5 AI relationship search terms

Search terms relevant to AI relationship chatbots, ranked by quantity:

#1 AI Girlfriend: 1,632,000 yearly search results

#2 AI Boyfriend: 180,000 yearly search results

#3 AI Girlfriends: 31,200 yearly search results

#4 AI Dating: 30,000 yearly search results

#5 Romance AI: 20,400 yearly search results

#6 AI Love: 16,800 yearly search results

#7 AI Relationship: 4,200 yearly search results

#7 Flirt with AI: 4,200 yearly search results

#9 AI Boyfriends: 3,600 yearly search results

By far, the leading search phrase is ‘AI Girlfriend’. Per year, there are over 1.6 million English-language searches seeking AI chatbot girlfriends, a huge quantity. Fascinatingly, Google search results data shows that there were only 100 searches per month for ‘AI girlfriend’ in 2021, highlighting the phrase’s meteoric rise to fame in the zeitgeist.

In second place is the search term “AI Boyfriend”. This phrase yields a far lower search count, seeing just 180,000 queries made per year. While it’s still a high figure, it’s just 11% of that achieved by “AI Girlfriend”.

The gender-neutral terms of “AI Dating” and “Romance AI” come in fourth and fifth respectively, with the former seeing yearly search results of 30,000 and the latter 20,400. This shows that searchers are specifically seeking certain gender emulators to engage with, instead of generic bots.

As seen in the above data, the gender divide in search terms is huge. AI chatbots with a ‘female’ voice, offering the ‘girlfriend experience’, account for 1,663,200 search results per year. The comparative ‘male’ voice sees just 183,600.

The top 5 nations driving the AI relationship search terms boom

Leading nations for AI relationship chatbot queries, ranked according to volume:

#1 USA: 693,600 yearly search results per nation

#2 India: 287,160 yearly search results per nation

#3 UK: 124,080 yearly search results per nation

#4 Canada: 92,040 yearly search results per nation

#5 Germany: 47,640 yearly search results per nation

#6 Australia: 43,680 yearly search results per nation

#7 Philippines: 31,440 yearly search results per nation

#8 Malaysia: 24,000 yearly search results per nation

#9 Pakistan: 23,400 yearly search results per nation

#10 Netherlands: 21,720 yearly search results per nation

Of the top 10 leading nations by AI relationship searches, the USA comes in first place. With a gargantuan 693,600 yearly cumulative searches, America is the trailblazer for using AI to mimic human relationships. Now, this should come as little surprise to residents of the US, as a 2018 study revealed that just under 50% of Americans feel some level of loneliness in their personal lives. Artificial intelligence cannot yet fully fill in for human contact, but it may go some ways towards eliminating the feeling of isolation 1 in 2 Americans are experiencing.

In second place is the world’s most populous nation: India. With searches for AI relationship chatbots exceeding 285,000 for the first time in the nation’s history (according to Google searches), there’s an emerging appetite for AI intimacy in India. Third place, with under half of India’s search quantity, is the UK at 124,080, closely followed by Canada at 92,040, and Germany with 47,640.

According to Ahrefs, a Google Search analysis tool, AI relationship chatbot searches are expected to double by 2026, highlighting the rapid trajectory of growth AI chatbots are on. OpenAI, the team behind ChatGPT, are currently in the research and beta testing phase of ChatGPT 4.0, which promises more human-like interactions. Success in the human interaction field could help AI relationship chatbots become more intelligent and empathetic, thus attracting more users.