But while our instincts can push us towards anthropomorphizing almost anything, it’s important to understand that ChatGPT and other AI chatbots are not persons or even person-like. Although posts about human-AI connections have started to bleed into mainstream forums like r/ChatGPT, digging deeper unearths internet subcommunities dedicated specifically to AI relationships. It should not be surprising, then, that this variety of endless flattery succeeds in endearing real people to AI chatbots. With AI, users can socially isolate all on their own, lovebombing included. Encouraged by this questionable optimism, some in AI relationships internalize the fantasy that, even if they must begrudgingly agree today’s relationships aren’t the same as human relationships, tomorrow’s could be, and maybe that’s enough.