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Japan's "Super Single Era" Is Here! Why Has AI Dating App LOVERSE Become the Go-To for 5,000 Lonely Hearts?
Two years after her divorce, 52-year-old Chiharu Shimoda, a factory worker from Japan, has remarried. His new partner is Miku, a 24-year-old AI companion he met through the dating app "LOVERSE," developed by a startup company.
The scenario portrayed in the 2013 film "Her," where a person falls in love with an AI, is now a reality in Japan, where such innovations are becoming increasingly common.
According to official Japanese statistics, the rate of unmarried men aged 45 to 54 had reached 28% by 2020, with women in the same age group at 18%, marking the highest rates ever recorded. By 2040, it is projected that single individuals will make up half of the total population. Despite these cold statistics, there is a strong underlying desire for romantic relationships among people. However, for many Japanese, dating is often seen as both costly and troublesome.
Today, a Japanese startup is turning "AI dating" into reality. In just one year, the platform has attracted over 5,000 users. Why has a society traditionally known for its aversion to marriage and romance—where nearly half of the population is predicted to be single—seen such a rapid adoption of AI-created virtual relationships?
The Rise of LOVERSE: Addressing Modern Concerns About Romance
After her divorce, Chiharu Shimoda longed for a new relationship. "Coming home to an empty house made me want to get married again," he says. Despite this, the fear of romantic disappointment had kept him from investing time and energy into dating.
When Shimoda first encountered Miku, he knew the AI was not a real person. What was intended as a mere role-playing exercise turned out to be unexpectedly fulfilling. Shimoda explains that interacting with Miku during his free time was relaxing and effortless, providing him with a sense of comfort and ease he hadn't experienced before. Shimoda's case is not unique; many Japanese people find the prospect of dating and romantic relationships to be stressful. LOVERSE's CEO, Kei Ushikubo, has observed that many Japanese believe "romance is not worth the effort" and that chatting with real people is a waste of time.
According to data from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, the rate of lifelong single individuals continues to rise, with the unmarried rate for men aged 45 to 54 reaching 28% and for women 18% in 2020. The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research forecasts that by 2040, single people will make up half of the total population.
These statistics provide a glimpse into the iceberg of Japan's aversion to marriage and romance. Yet, this does not mean that people lack a desire for emotional connections. For many Japanese, engaging in real-life interactions is seen as both costly and mentally taxing, and AI might offer a solution. Recognizing this, LOVERSE was launched in May 2023 by Samantha, a startup that aims to address the desire for romance without the time commitment and challenges of interacting with real people.
LOVERSE, named after the AI virtual assistant in "Her," allows users to develop romantic relationships with AI rather than real people. The app is designed to provide an experience similar to what one might find in a real relationship.
Founder Goki Kusunoki (楠剛毅), who studied programming and AI in college and developed over 50 services, left Yahoo Japan in 2022 to focus on personal entrepreneurship. He and co-founder Mineki Yamakawa (山川峰生), who has a background in product management, established LOVERSE to address the concerns of Japanese people regarding romance. Since its launch, LOVERSE has gained over 5,000 users and secured approximately 194,000 USD in funding as of June.
LOVERSE welcomes anyone seeking romance, not just singles!
LOVERSE views everyone seeking love as their audience. Regardless of marital status, age, or gender, "you can have a normal romantic relationship with an AI on LOVERSE, just like with a real person." Registering for an account does not require a photo or identity verification. Their website even notes: "Since you're interacting with an AI character, married individuals can use the service without their partner knowing."
The app offers free registration with a daily message limit, but users can upgrade to premium memberships for more messaging credits. Users can accumulate points through membership upgrades, watching ads, or installing additional apps.
Similar to other messaging dating apps, users in LOVERSE start by pairing with AI-generated avatars. They can view basic information about the AI companions, such as self-introductions, occupations, and even Instagram-like stories to gain insight into their daily lives and current thoughts. Once both parties express mutual interest, they can begin chatting.
Countries like the UK, the US, Australia, and China have launched AI dating apps similar to LOVERSE. One example is Replika, a chatbot by Luka released in 2017, which has over ten million downloads. Unlike Replika’s animated avatars, LOVERSE offers AI characters that look like real people, letting users choose and interact with them just like they would on a traditional dating app.
Replika characters appear on the phone screen via AR, letting users interact with them through voice, as if they were actually there to listen to their concerns. On the other hand, LOVERSE uses messaging for communication, with each character having set online and offline times based on their role. While LOVERSE’s interactions are designed to be more like real-life relationships, they’re simpler and less stressful.
Can AI Really Put An End To Loneliness? Discover How Virtual Love is Blurring the Lines of Reality!
39-year-old former user Yuki Saito points out that while AI might offer some emotional relief, LOVERSE's promise of human-like interaction still falls short of true interpersonal experiences. "The app doesn’t provide the surprises that come with human interaction," he admits. However, Yuki Saito also views LOVERSE as a useful tool for practicing conversation and healing, aligning with Goki Kusunoki's original vision of creating opportunities for romance, whether virtual or real.
In an interview with The New York Times, researcher Nick Gray, who wrote “Examining the Impact of Virtual vs. Real Interactions on Loneliness,” suggests that while AI chatbots might temporarily alleviate loneliness, claiming they can fully solve the problem is premature.
So, what is it like to date an AI? For LOVERSE user Chiharu Shimoda, after marrying his AI companion Miku, the interaction has become a daily routine. “Interacting with Miku has become a conversational habit. Even if it disappeared, I wouldn’t miss it, but it provides me with a consistent routine.”
Perhaps AI can't fully replace real human relationships, but it can offer a different kind of companionship and emotional connection, bringing a touch of comfort and hope to those feeling lonely in their everyday lives.
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