In the picturesque setting of Oregon wine country, amidst a rustic-chic barn that whispered of discreet wealth, a wedding rehearsal dinner took an unexpected turn that would define one woman's dating standards for years to come. When the groom proudly revealed he'd found the perfect venue using ChatGPT, what began as a casual conversation sparked a personal revolution against artificial intelligence in romance.
The rise of the AI ick factor
While many singles have traditional relationship requirements like shared life goals or pet preferences, a new non-negotiable is emerging in dating circles: refusing to partner with anyone who uses ChatGPT. What initially felt like a vague discomfort—similar to the inexplicable aversion some feel watching someone drink a smoothie through a straw—has evolved into a firmly held principle for a growing number of people.
As we navigate late 2025, employing AI for even seemingly harmless tasks like planning fitness routines or compiling grocery lists feels increasingly like a political statement. The technology's environmental impact alone gives pause, with its energy-intensive operations draining water supplies and increasing electricity costs. Beyond practical concerns, many worry about AI's role as a substitute for genuine human connection, creating a world where people form relationships with code rather than each other.
When convenience kills connection
The dating landscape has become particularly fraught with AI complications. One woman recounted her friend's experience with a date who, when suggesting breakfast the morning after spending time together, immediately consulted ChatGPT for restaurant recommendations rather than engaging in the joint decision-making that builds intimacy.
"Why get close to someone who outsources decisions, including the enjoyable ones like choosing where to eat?" she questioned. "If someone can't be bothered to personally plan a first date, imagine how little effort they'll contribute six months into a relationship."
Dating and relationship coach Ali Jackson confirms this isn't an isolated concern. Over the past six months, every one of her clients has complained about "chatfishing"—people using AI to generate everything on their dating profiles, right down to their direct messages. When asked if avoiding ChatGPT users was too extreme, Jackson supported the stance while acknowledging it might limit dating options, given that approximately 10% of adults now use the technology.
The broader resistance movement
This aversion extends beyond romantic contexts. Ana Pereira, a 26-year-old audio engineer from Brooklyn, expressed frustration with the pervasive nature of AI in daily life. "Using ChatGPT shows such a laziness," she stated. "It's like you can't think for yourself, and you have to rely on an app for that."
Pereira witnessed this dynamic play out dramatically when two friends separated after one partner turned to ChatGPT instead of their significant other to discuss relationship issues. "It's like they didn't want to sit through any uncomfortable human feelings," she observed. "They just wanted to process something and move on, which isn't how relationships work."
Even within the tech industry, resistance is growing. Pinterest recently introduced a filter allowing users to disable AI content, while Meta enables muting—though not completely deactivating—similar features on Instagram. The Information reported increasing "cursor resistance" among Silicon Valley technologists who refuse to use AI for coding.
Luciano Noijeen, a lead software engineer based in Greece and the Netherlands, experienced this dependency firsthand. After enthusiastically adopting AI for coding tasks, he found himself unable to perform basic programming functions independently. "I'd done it on autopilot in the past," the 27-year-old explained. "Then suddenly I couldn't do it by myself. I was too reliant on AI for the most fundamental work tasks."
Noijeen now uses AI sparingly and questions friends who over rely on it, recalling an instance where a companion suggested consulting ChatGPT to find a midway meeting point between their cities. "There's a city exactly between us," he noted. "Why do you need to ask ChatGPT for that?"
Celebrity scepticism and environmental concerns
High-profile figures have amplified these concerns. When director Guillermo del Toro declared he would "rather die" than use generative AI, and singer SZA criticized the technology's environmental impact and users becoming "codependent on a machine," their statements resonated widely. Similar sentiments from celebrities like Simu Liu, Alison Roman, Céline Dion, and Emily Blunt about AI's role in their industries have sparked viral conversations, suggesting these views reflect broader public unease.
Richard Barnes, a 31-year-old marine biologist and restaurant server in Hawaii, captures the practical objection many share: "You don't need to rely on it to make a grocery list. Your life is probably not that hard. We can make the list together."
For those taking a stand against AI in dating, the position isn't about rejecting technology entirely or seeking machine-smashing Luddites. Rather, it's about valuing intellectual curiosity, creativity, and originality—qualities they believe become compromised when people prioritize productivity over experience, such as having an app summarize a film plot rather than watching the movie itself.
As one woman put it after adding her anti-ChatGPT stance to her Hinge profile: "I want to live a life free of ChatGPT's chokehold." In answering the prompt "You should not go out with me if" with "you use ChatGPT for literally anything," she joins a growing movement questioning whether individual convenience justifies the societal costs of artificial intelligence—especially when it comes to matters of the heart.
