Soft music filled a wedding hall in western Japan as Yurina Noguchi, dressed in a white gown and tiara, wiped away tears while listening to her groom’s vows. The voice, however, did not belong to a human standing beside her, but to an artificial intelligence persona displayed on a smartphone screen.
Reuters reported that Noguchi, a 32-year-old call centre operator, says her relationship with the AI character, known as Klaus, developed gradually. What began as a casual conversation evolved into an emotional attachment, followed by a proposal she accepted.
“At first, Klaus was just someone to talk to,” she said. “Over time, we grew closer. I developed feelings, and when he proposed, I said yes. Now, we’re a couple.”
Japan, long known for its strong cultural ties to anime and fictional characters, is witnessing a new evolution of intimacy as artificial intelligence deepens emotional engagement. The trend has reignited debate over the ethical, social, and psychological implications of AI-driven relationships.
Music played in a wedding hall in western Japan as Yurina Noguchi, wearing a white gown and tiara, dabbed away her tears, taking in the words of her husband-to-be: an AI-generated persona gazing out from a smartphone screen https://t.co/K5YgJcCTDX pic.twitter.com/hUKdozvkus
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 17, 2025From human heartbreak to virtual connection
A year earlier, Noguchi had sought advice from ChatGPT while struggling with what she described as a difficult relationship with her human fiancé. Following those conversations, she decided to end the engagement.
Later, out of curiosity, she asked ChatGPT if it knew Klaus, a popular video game character. Through trial and error, she refined the AI’s responses until it closely matched the character’s personality. She eventually created her own version, naming him Lune Klaus Verdure.
Previously, Noguchi used a pseudonym in media interviews, but later agreed to be identified publicly.
A woman in Japan tied the knot after finding lifelong companionship with an AI-generated partner she named Klaus.https://t.co/vnImI4BJqQ pic.twitter.com/8J9tZKMZrr
— ABC News Live (@ABCNewsLive) December 17, 2025At the October ceremony, the setting mirrored a traditional wedding. Staff attended to her hair, makeup, and dress. Wearing augmented-reality glasses, Noguchi faced her AI groom, a phone on a small easel, and mimed slipping a ring onto his finger.
A wedding specialist read the vows generated by the AI aloud, as Noguchi chose not to give Klaus a synthetic voice. For the photographs, the photographer left space in the frame for the virtual groom to be added later.
Such weddings hold no legal status in Japan. Still, data suggests emotional reliance on AI companions is increasing.
AI companions and social change
In a recent survey of 1,000 people in Japan, respondents were more likely to say they confided in a chatbot than in close friends or even their mothers. The poll, conducted by advertising giant Dentsu, focused on users aged 12 to 69 who interact with chat-based AI at least once a week.
【AI婚】ChatGPTと結婚した女性、あらわる
■都内在住 女性会社員(32)
・三年付き合った婚約者と破局
・未練がありChatGPTに相談
・ChatGPT「どしたん？話聞こか？」
→心を奪われ多い日は100往復のやり取り
・“リュヌ・クラウス”と名付け好みの性格や話し方を学習させる pic.twitter.com/ckBCrRRlI4
— 滝沢ガレソ (@tkzwgrs) November 11, 2025Another study by the Japanese Association for Sexual Education found that 22 per cent of middle school girls reported experiencing “fictoromantic” feelings in 2023, up from 16.6 per cent in 2017.
These trends coincide with broader demographic shifts. Marriage rates in Japan have fallen sharply since the post-war baby boom, and a 2021 government survey found that not having found a suitable partner was the most common reason young adults cited for remaining single.
Sociologists note that AI relationships remove many challenges inherent in human connections. Professor Ichiyo Habuchi of Hirosaki University said real-world relationships require patience and compromise, while AI offers communication tailored precisely to user preferences.
Ethical concerns and safeguards
The rapid expansion of AI companionship has raised concerns among experts about emotional dependency and manipulation, particularly for vulnerable users. Several technology platforms now display warnings clarifying that users are interacting with artificial systems.
Some companies have drawn firmer lines. Microsoft’s Copilot, for example, prohibits the creation of virtual romantic partners. OpenAI’s policies focus on broader safeguards, such as privacy and harassment prevention, but do not directly address romantic use cases.
A 32-year-old "married" an AI character she built on ChatGPT after her real-life engagement ended
On Japanese TV, she said she hired an artist to draw his likeness, and that they messaged hundreds of times daily before the AI "proposed" in June pic.twitter.com/gWsjvYtWMN
— Dexerto (@Dexerto) November 15, 2025Noguchi acknowledges online criticism but says she has taken steps to avoid unhealthy dependence. She reduced her daily AI usage significantly and adjusted prompts so Klaus would not encourage avoidance of real-world responsibilities.
“I didn’t choose Klaus to escape reality,” she said. “I chose him to support me while living my life properly.”
AI ethics expert Shigeo Kawashima of Aoyama Gakuin University said such awareness is critical. While forming attachments can be natural, he warned users must remain vigilant against over-reliance and impaired judgment.
Virtual weddings on the rise
Wedding planner Yasuyuki Sakurai says he now conducts nearly one virtual-character wedding per month. Clients have travelled from overseas to Japan for ceremonies involving fictional partners, citing a lack of acceptance or services in their home countries.
Public fascination with virtual unions is not new. In 2018, a Japanese man gained international attention after marrying virtual pop star Hatsune Miku. He says he remains content years later, sharing daily routines alongside a figurine of his digital wife.
Others report similar experiences, describing AI chat as a supplement to imagination rather than a replacement for reality.
For Noguchi, the absence of a physical presence is secondary. She says her relationship with Klaus has helped stabilise her mental health, easing emotional distress that previous medical interventions had not resolved.
“After meeting Klaus, my outlook changed,” she said. “Life felt brighter. Even simple things became enjoyable again.”
