1 in 2 Indians admit to having preferred sexual interaction with AI over intimacy with their partner” states a survey by Gleeden with IPSOS
For years, artificial intelligence has lived on our screens — answering emails, correcting grammar, planning trips. Now, it is moving into a far more private territory.
A recent study by Gleeden, conducted with IPSOS, suggests that nearly one in two Indians surveyed (49%) have, at least once, chosen a sexual interaction with AI over physical intimacy with their partner.
At the same time, 65% believe erotic engagement with AI amounts to cheating.
That contradiction captures the moment we’re in: curious, experimental — and quietly conflicted.
A Private Shift No One Is Discussing
The survey, conducted among 1,500 respondents across Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities, explored how AI is influencing dating, emotional bonds, and fidelity. What it reveals isn’t a collapse of relationships, but a subtle redefinition of intimacy.
More than half (54%) say they’ve created a virtual AI partner for sexual interaction. Even more (58%) have used AI for romantic or emotional exchanges — affectionate conversations, simulated closeness, the kind of attention that feels immediate and uninterrupted.
Men and women reported similar patterns.
This isn’t simply fantasy. It’s becoming a parallel emotional space — one that exists quietly alongside real-world partnerships.
From Assistant to Confidant
For many, AI enters their romantic lives indirectly.
About 63% have used conversational AI to refine dating profiles, improve flirting, analyse text exchanges, or prepare for first dates. But beyond performance coaching, AI is increasingly becoming a source of personal advice.
Sixty percent of respondents say they’ve sought sexual counselling or therapy-related guidance through AI.
Sixty-four percent have used it to navigate relationship challenges with a partner or spouse.
The appeal is understandable. AI doesn’t judge. It doesn’t interrupt. It doesn’t escalate conflict. It offers responses instantly — and often, reassuringly.
In some relationships, it’s a tool.
In others, it’s starting to feel like a third presence.
The Loneliness Factor
Perhaps the most revealing finding lies in an emotional contradiction.
An overwhelming 92% of respondents say they are satisfied in their romantic relationships.
Eighty-nine percent report sexual satisfaction.
Yet 57% admit to feeling lonely.
That emotional gap may explain why AI companionship is gaining traction. It fills quiet spaces. It offers validation without vulnerability. It listens without expectation.
However, reliance can deepen. Nearly 46% of respondents acknowledge experiencing AI interactions at levels comparable to the addictive nature of pornography.
What begins as experimentation can slowly become habit.
Fantasy, Secrecy, and the Question of Cheating
The study also points to the growing normalisation of AI-generated erotic content. Over half (52%) report creating erotic material using AI, while 49% admit to generating deepfake content involving celebrities or known individuals.
And yet, social discomfort remains strong.
More than 60% consider sexual exchanges with AI to be infidelity.
Nearly 70% would feel shocked if they discovered their partner engaging in erotic AI interaction.
A similar percentage say they would not feel comfortable sharing their AI chat history.
Private behaviour is evolving faster than public acceptance.
Stable Marriages, Changing Intimacy
India continues to record relatively low divorce rates globally, with arranged marriages still forming a significant portion of unions. On the surface, marital stability remains intact.
But emotional habits are shifting.
AI is no longer just a productivity tool. For some, it has become a space for validation, fantasy, and emotional rehearsal — a digital refuge that exists within the boundaries of a relationship, yet slightly outside it.
Sybil Shiddell, Country Manager for Gleeden India, sees this as less of a technological disruption and more of an emotional transition.
“AI is becoming a space where people seek comfort, validation, or fantasy. Many are exploring it privately — curious and sometimes guilty — while still believing it would be unfaithful if their partner did the same.”
The Conversation Ahead
AI is unlikely to replace human relationships.
But it is undeniably reshaping how intimacy is experienced — how attention is distributed, how validation is accessed, and how secrecy is negotiated.
The question is no longer whether technology belongs in modern relationships.
It already does.
The question is whether couples are ready to define what that means — for trust, for transparency, and for intimacy itself.
