More than 1 in 3 people say dating an AI chatbot while in a relationship isn't cheating, Malwarebytes research finds

New "Artificial Intimacy" report shows AI has become the third wheel in modern relationships, and a tool for sextortion, catfishing, and fake nudes

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- AI has officially entered the chat. And the date. And, for some people, the relationship itself. Malwarebytes, the global leader in real-time cyber protection, shared new research today, Artificial Intimacy: Love and lies in the age of AI, revealing that AI is now showing up everywhere from the flirty first text to the post-fight apology, and that a surprising number of people have relaxed views about where the lines are. More than one in three (37%) say having a romantic relationship with an AI chatbot while already in a committed relationship isn't the same as cheating. About one in six have turned to a chatbot for companionship or emotional support.

Read the full report: www.malwarebytes.com/blog/artificial-intimacy

However, the same technology that helps people find the right words is also being used to fake, deceive, and exploit. One in ten people say AI has been used to create nude or sexually explicit imagery of them without permission, and one in ten say someone has threatened to release AI-generated explicit imagery of them. This connects to the broader issue of scams with one in six mobile users being a target of sextortion scams.

"AI can help you write a better text or work through a fight with your partner, and that's not nothing," said Shahak Shalev, Global Head of Scam and AI Research, Malwarebytes. "But relationships run on trust, and AI is making trust harder to take at face value. A fake profile is often the front door to a romance scam, and the damage goes beyond lost money. Victims also lose sleep, confidence, and their willingness to trust the next person who says hello. The photo, the profile, and even the explicit image someone threatens to post might all be fake. The heartbreak isn't."

Key findings

• Is it cheating if it's a chatbot?
  • 37% say a romantic relationship with an AI chatbot while in a committed relationship isn't cheating.
  • Men are far more likely to see it that way than women (46% vs. 30%), as are Gen Z (43%), Millennials (45%), and regular AI users (48%).
  • About 1 in 6 have turned to a chatbot for companionship or emotional support, rising to about 1 in 5 among Gen Z and Millennials and nearly 1 in 4 among regular AI users.
  • 65% worry that private conversations they've had with AI could be exposed.
• Fake nudes are a real fear, and for some, a reality
  • 62% worry someone could create fake nude or sexually explicit photos or videos of them. Women are more concerned (69%) than men (57%).
  • 1 in 10 say AI has been used to generate nude or sexually explicit imagery of them without permission.
  • 1 in 10 say someone has threatened to release AI-generated compromising or explicit imagery of them.
  • About 1 in 6 say it's acceptable to generate explicit images of someone without their permission for personal use. Another 14% are neutral, meaning nearly 1 in 3 (31%) don't explicitly oppose it.
  • Younger adults are the most accepting: 24% of Gen Z and 23% of Millennials say it's okay, compared with 13% of Gen X and 5% of Boomers+. Men (22%) are more permissive than women (14%).
• Seeing is no longer believing
  • 88% say AI is making it harder to tell what online content is genuinely human or real.
  • 84% say even convincing video evidence no longer necessarily feels like proof.

In their own words
Survey respondents described both sides of AI's role in their love lives.

On the upside, one said: "We use AI in our relationship as a reflection tool, and it has sometimes helped us take on the perspective of the other." Another credited AI with helping them work through jealousy: "…once I talked to AI about it, they gave helpful advice and now we are stronger than ever."

On the downside, one respondent described quitting dating apps after discovering a match "had fake pictures… creating completely false photos and information." Another said: "I had someone make fake nudes of me using AI on my photos from my social media and threaten to post them on Facebook."

Tips for staying safe in the age of artificial intimacy

Verify who you're talking to

• Reverse-image search profile photos. Look for copied bios, reused images, and accounts with very little real activity.
• A personalized reply or a voice message doesn't prove an account is real.

Watch for the classic romance-scam red flags

• Be wary of unsolicited contact, especially when someone builds emotional rapport quickly.
• Be cautious of anyone who pushes for fast decisions, or who wants to move the chat off the platform to Discord, Telegram, Signal and the like.
• Treat flirty messages with caution when they quickly turn transactional.

Don't send anything you can't take back

• Don't send money, gift cards, crypto, intimate images, ID documents, or account logins to someone you only know online.
• Be skeptical of urgent payment demands, especially ones involving crypto or gift cards.

Shrink what's available to fake

• Limit the voice and video content you share publicly, because scammers can reuse it.
• Tighten social media privacy settings and review your followers regularly.

If you're targeted

• Don't pay anyone who threatens you. Report it to the platform and to the authorities.
• Report quickly to your bank and to IC3.gov or your local authorities.
• Check any message, text or piece of content with Malwarebytes Scam Guard to see if it may be a scam or contain suspicious content.

About the research
The research is based on a March 2026 survey about AI, identity, and the collapse of digital trust, conducted among 1,500 respondents in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The research was prepared by an independent research consultant and distributed via Forsta. "Regular AI users" are those who use AI daily or multiple times a week.

To read more about the latest threats and cyber protection strategies, visit the Malwarebytes blog, or follow us on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Reddit, and X.

About Malwarebytes

Malwarebytes is reimagining security to safeguard devices, data, and people, no matter their location, lifestyle, or means. A global leader in online protection, its suite of award-winning cybersecurity, privacy, and identity solutions empower millions of people worldwide to enjoy their digital lives, free from threats and scams. Built and beloved by experts, Malwarebytes pairs a world-class team of threat researchers with proprietary AI-powered processes to supercharge and refine detections, providing unmatched protection against both known and unknown threats. Living up to its legacy, Malwarebytes continues to offer free tools that have long served as a first line of defense against malware and scams with new options for identity protection and data removal.

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Learn more: https://www.malwarebytes.com.

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