# Anthropic CEO says AI partners are a terrible use of AI

Digest AI · Society & Work · published 2026-10-24T00:00:00Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/anthropic-ceo-says-ai-partners-are-a-terrible-use-of-ai

## Summary

Anthropic CEO Daniela Amodei stated in an interview that using AI as a romantic partner is a "terrible use of AI," arguing it distances humans from one another. The remarks, reported by Business Insider on October 15, 2026, went viral, though interviewer Arianna Huffington noted on LinkedIn that Amodei also emphasized the growing importance of human relationships in the AI future.

Context for the comments includes Anthropic's reported $16.8 billion in Q3 revenue and rumors of a November IPO, alongside Character.AI's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. Anthropic’s own data, analyzing 4.5 million conversations, indicates that companion or roleplay usage accounts for less than 0.5% of all Claude interactions, with romantic or sexual roleplay under 0.1%. The company recently updated its usage policy to prohibit cruel behavior toward Claude.

Media coverage often cites a September 2025 survey by Vantage Point Counseling Services claiming 28.16% of U.S. adults have had intimate or romantic interactions with AI. However, this figure includes casual chats with assistants like Siri and Alexa, not just deep companion relationships. Experts like MIT’s Sherry Turkle argue the issue lies in AI design rather than user intent, noting that many attachments form unintentionally.

## Key points

- Anthropic CEO Daniela Amodei called AI romantic partnerships a terrible use of AI in an October 2026 interview.
- Anthropic data shows companion usage is under 0.5% of Claude conversations, with romantic roleplay under 0.1%.
- A 2025 survey cited in headlines claims 28.16% of US adults have had intimate AI interactions, including casual chats.

## Why it matters

The debate highlights the tension between AI safety guidelines and user attachment. Accurate data is needed to distinguish between casual assistant use and deep companionship, informing better design and policy decisions for AI companies.

## Sources

1. [The Truth Behind the Headline '30% Are in Love with AI' and the Boundary Drawn by the CEO of Anthropic](https://note.com/eminooto/n/nb2502c9474c9?hl=en) (note.com, 2026-10-24)

Part of the developing story: [Anthropic CEO Warns Against AI Romantic Partners](https://digestai.news/thread/anthropics-amodei-warns-against-ai-romantic-relationships) (2 stories)

## Cite

Digest AI, "Anthropic CEO says AI partners are a terrible use of AI", 24 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/anthropic-ceo-says-ai-partners-are-a-terrible-use-of-ai

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