Editorial illustration for AI‑relationships platform claims 5x user growth in 2025, cites sex workers
AI Companions Explode: 50M Users Redefine Relationships
AI‑relationships platform claims 5x user growth in 2025, cites sex workers
The buzz around AI‑driven companionship services has taken a new turn. A startup that markets itself as an “AI‑relationships” platform—positioning the product as an antidote to traditional dating apps—has begun to surface in tech chatter. What catches attention isn’t just the novelty of chatbot romance; it’s the scale the company claims to have achieved in a single year.
While many AI ventures tout modest user increases, this firm says its community has expanded dramatically, a claim that would reshape expectations for niche social tech. Adding another layer, a handful of adult‑industry figures, notably Alix Lynx and Jenna Starr, have reportedly authorized the use of their likenesses within the service, though the firm stopped short of revealing further details. The combination of rapid growth figures and high‑profile licensing deals raises questions about how such platforms are being monetized and what users are actually seeking.
According to the company, which bills itself as an "AI‑lationships" platform, and an antidote to dating apps, its "user base has grown five times in 2025 compared to 2024." Several sex workers, including Alix Lynx and Jenna Starr, have licensed their likeness to Joi (the company declined to share ex
According to the company, which bills itself as an "AI-lationships" platform, and an antidote to dating apps, its "user base has grown five times in 2025 compared to 2024." Several sex workers, including Alix Lynx and Jenna Starr, have licensed their likeness to Joi (the company declined to share exact user numbers). Developers are also sprinting to create applications for role-play chatbots that are "not just erotic content spam, but something focused on immersive, intelligent conversation with a dominant persona." Even Oxy shop, an online BDSM gear retailer for sub men who like to wear chastity cages, has started to offer an AI-driven "BDSM chat" for members, which allows them to indulge in all sorts of dominatrix fantasies; "Surrender to Mandy" or "Submit to Mike," the page advertises. Watching porn can be a passive experience, but "an AI chatbot allows people a forum to talk about, express, and articulate their sexual fantasies," says Carolina Bandinelli, an associate professor at the University of Warwick whose research focuses on the digital culture of love.
Is this the future of intimacy? The platform says its user base grew fivefold in 2025, positioning itself as an antidote to traditional dating apps. Yet the evidence rests on self‑reported numbers; the company declined to share external verification.
Alesandra Madison’s story illustrates how a couple integrated a large language model into a dominant‑submissive routine, following a missed “nightly kneeling ritual” with a ChatGPT‑generated punishment. Such personal anecdotes highlight the niche appeal the service claims to have cultivated. Several sex workers, including Alix Lynx and Jenna Starr, have licensed their likenesses to Joi, suggesting a commercial strategy that leans on recognizable personas.
It's unclear whether these licenses drive broader adoption. The claim of rapid growth is compelling, but without independent data the magnitude of the platform’s impact cannot be confirmed. Ultimately, the service sits at the intersection of AI chat technology and adult‑content licensing, a space where user enthusiasm and privacy concerns coexist, leaving its long‑term relevance uncertain.
Further Reading
- AI Girlfriend Statistics 2025: Market Growth & Trends - Artsmart.ai
- AI Companions Statistics By Usage, Apps and Facts (2025) - ElectroIQ
- 2025: The State of Consumer AI - Menlo Ventures
- How AI is Transforming Modern Relationships and Dating in 2024 - Mosaic Chats
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Common Questions Answered
How many people are using AI romantic companions according to recent data?
[orifice.store](https://orifice.store/blog/2025/12/how-many-people-have-ai-romantic-partners) reports that approximately 19% of U.S. adults have tried an AI romantic partner chat, which translates to roughly 51 million adults. Among young adults aged 18-30, the usage is even higher, with 31% of men and 23% of women having chatted with an AI romantic companion.
What is the projected market size for AI companion platforms?
[jinlow.medium.com](https://jinlow.medium.com/ai-companions-are-rewriting-intimacy-like-pornhub-rewriting-sex-heres-what-the-data-actually-62cd7976c52a) indicates the AI companion market is expected to grow from $37.7 billion in 2025 to $435.9 billion by 2034, with a compound annual growth rate of 31.24%. The market saw an 88% surge in downloads in the first half of 2025, reaching 60 million downloads.
What are the key characteristics of modern AI romantic companions?
[jmbonthous.medium.com](https://articles.jmbonthous.com/ai-girlfriends-a-booming-95-billion-market-4d89df980c86) describes AI girlfriends as sophisticated systems with photorealistic avatars, voice chat, mood recognition, and advanced memory capabilities. These AI companions are engineered to make users feel understood without demanding reciprocation, with some platforms offering customizable characters and detailed interaction systems.