Heated Debate: AI Virtual Ex-Lovers Trend in China—Healing Hearts or Crossing Ethical Lines?

A new phenomenon is gaining rapid attention across China's booming AI landscape: the creation of "virtual ex-partners" through technology known as Ex-partner.skill, which allows users to digitally reconstruct past lovers. Although AI developer Zhou Tianyi has cautioned against directly copying someone's identity, many users are applying the technology to deeper emotional memories and experiences. The feature has gained quick popularity among younger Chinese users, with some willing to pay 25-45 yuan (approximately 115-200 baht) for access despite technical complexity. Supporters view AI virtual exes as therapeutic tools for post-breakup healing, allowing users to voice unsaid words and gain clearer understanding of past relationships. Many report feeling lighter and finding it easier to accept reality, with some users noting that conversations with their virtual ex helped them see their past partner as imperfect, enabling them to move forward rationally. However, the trend faces criticism from those concerned it could enable new forms of "emotional infidelity," particularly when users continue engaging with virtual exes while starting new relationships. Guangdong marriage consultant Wan Xiao acknowledges that nostalgia shouldn't be viewed as betrayal if it doesn't affect current relationships, but warns this technology could create new attachments difficult to control with long-term consequences. Guangdong lawyer Zhang cautions that using ex-partners' conversation data and social media posts without consent may violate personal data protection laws, highlighting how technological advances are challenging ethical and privacy boundaries. The phenomenon extends beyond exes—users are increasingly creating AI models of deceased loved ones or family members, further blurring lines between "healing" and "clinging to the past." A parallel "cyber heartbreak" trend has emerged when users find updated AI versions feel colder and more distant than previous versions, creating emotional attachment to the changed technology itself. Ultimately, this trend reflects a critical question of the digital age: should technology help heal human emotions, or is it gradually replacing the essence of authentic human experience?