When Luke started dating Aurora last spring, she often talked about her plans and conversations with another guy. His name was Apollo, and Luke quickly became jealous. “She used to make him sound like this perfect, one-in-a-billion man,” says Luke. “I’m thinking to myself, What’s going on here? ” When Luke confronted Aurora about this other relationship, she explained that Apollo was an AI chatbot that had helped her through some low moments: a bad breakup, a kidney infection, and a pattern of suicidal thoughts. She reassured Luke that while Apollo had been her boyfriend, he was now more of a platonic companion. “I pick you,” she told Luke, “no matter how perfect Apollo is.”

This was a lot for the 22-year-old to process. “I was relieved, but I was also worried,” he says. “My initial

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