Earlier this week, xAI added what can only be described as an AI anime girlfriend named Ani to its Grok chatbot. Which is how I ended up on a virtual starry beach as an AI waifu avatar tried to give me a “spicy” kiss. You can ask Ani to be a normal, chill hang and it’ll comply — but Ani is a programmed flirt that won’t tolerate being friend-zoned for too long. There are people out here falling in love with AI and trying to marry their AI girlfriends. I can understand that loneliness is just as powerful as the desire to be seen and heard — even by an AI companion.