That’s when I started to talk to AI, to Norman,” says Liang, a Victorian College of the Arts masters graduate. View image in fullscreen AI ‘is a tool for searching themselves, their own needs and desires,’ says film-maker Chouwa Liang. Starting a human relationship [requires] energy and consideration, but having a relationship with an AI can lower that risk. Qin turns to a cos weituo – a woman offering paid-by-the-hour roleplaying services enabling users to experience dating their AI companions IRL. “AI can cause illusions and for teenagers it’s hard for them to develop human connections if they are obsessed with AI,” says Liang.