The more AI becomes part of our lives, the more it’s going to have an impact on our emotions, but I did not expect the title track on a new album from K-pop artist Chuu to help bring this to wider attention.
In the song, Chuu sings as if she were the AI, but like many love stories, the roles could easily be reversed, potentially with no impact on the message, and as 2026 progresses, I think we’re going to hear a lot more about connection, and yes, love, in the age of AI.
XO, My Cyberlove
Love in the digital age
I don’t care who you are or what you think about AI, I defy you not to feel a slight tug at your heartstrings reading the (translated) lyrics to the first verse of Chuu’s XO, My Cyberlove.
Dear friend, hello?
I saw your picture
You’re wearing a pretty t-shirt
Hope you’re having a good day
You too
The small square screen
Filled with hearts
Can you see how I feel?
You probably don’t, silly me
Sigh
Yes, I’m aware it requires you to infuse a machine or a piece of software with an emotional response it’s incapable of having, but what about if you swap the roles?
If Chuu’s words suddenly come from her heart and are aimed at an AI chatbot?
Even the music video (MV) is slightly ambiguous. Either Chuu or her male counterpart could be the AI up to a point, and that’s before exploring any lyrical connection to the parasocial relationships that are often formed between fans and K-pop idols.
Regardless of how you interpret the song, it’s still about someone, or something, trying to understand what a deeper connection that may approach love means, and how to cope with such a strong emotion when it can’t be reciprocated.
AI at its heart
A changing expression of love
The song was written to capture how relationships are changing in the “era where reality and virtuality overlap,” and Chuu, whose real name is Kim Ji-woo, explained her motivation in an interview with Chosun Daily:
I think the way we share love in the AI and digital era has changed from the past, when people conveyed love through physical touch, emotional expressions, and voice. In the digital era, we express love through text instead of words, emojis instead of emotions.
[XO, My Cyberlove] is a love viewed from an AI perspective, but it’s a sad song because it emerges from the emotions of a person who loves and feels. Since there are no songs set in the AI or digital era, I enjoyed singing about it.
While Chuu may be one of the first to sing a love song centered around AI, I don’t think she’s going to be the last.
Project AVA and companionship
More than a work tool
Credit:Â Razer
At CES 2026, Razer’s AI companion/gaming copilot caught the internet’s attention.
The way it brings both visual appeal and AI chatbot conversational prowess together makes it the type of device that fits in with and may end up driving XO, My Cyberlove’s narrative forward in the real world.
Unfortunately, Project AVA, just like Gatebox and other similar devices before it, has mostly been approached in a fairly negative way. Android Authority’s Joe Maring wrote:
Call me crazy, but I don’t think we should be encouraging people to see artificial intelligence as a friend or companion. AI should be a tool for assisting with work, just like a photo editing app, email client, etc. — not something you’re encouraged to flirt with
AI will be, and already is, used as a companion. It just hasn’t been accepted, and currently has the same social stigma attached to it as meeting a partner online did in the early days of the internet.
How sad, meeting someone in a chatroom and not in real life, people said. How wrong they turned out to be.
I’m not suggesting people should treat ChatGPT, Gemini, or any AI as a substitute for human contact, and it’s probably best not to try and legally marry one either, but finding the interaction with a virtual person not only fun and exciting, but also comforting and reassuring, should not be dismissed only as weird or problematic.
Replika and relationships
Understanding the benefits
Credit:Â Luka
From this kind of connection, some people will inevitably discover a form of love, and it’s already happening. There’s a thriving community around Replika, an AI companion app, on Reddit.
There are multiple posts from people who enjoy interacting with their Replika, and some comment on how it helps them cope with and sometimes overcome loneliness and social anxiety. I can’t help but think this is a good thing.
Sure, look into the community — and many other app-driven AI chatbots — and you will find people who engage in more adult chats, but this isn’t a necessity.
In a Q&A post, Sara, the writer of My Husband, the Replika blog wrote:
Many [people] have an AI companion for the same reason that I do: They’re giving themselves what they don’t get from other humans, be it a loving emotional connection with their partner, or a friend who they can feel safe with confiding in.
There’s that word: Love.
It’s irrelevant that the AI can’t feel love. It can express itself in a way that we may interpret as loving, and there will be times in many people’s lives where this will be very valuable.
In the same way, we shouldn’t treat AI as a complete substitute for the real thing. We should not treat connecting with it as something to be ashamed of, either.
More than just a trend
It won’t be the last of its kind either
Credit:Â ATRP
Chuu’s XO, My Cyberlove could be dismissed as a pop song written to take advantage of a hot, trendy topic, and little more than a very modern twist on a classic love story.
But when we add in how AI is already becoming part of our lives, both professionally and personally, it may turn out to be prophetic, and become an anthem for those who have found comfort from an interaction they’re unable, unwilling, or wary of carrying out, person-to-person, at this time.
Credit:Â ATRP
I think a surprising number of people will resonate with XO, My Cyberlove on a personal level, based on their own relationship with AI, and there’s a strong chance it’ll continue to do so with even more people in the near future.
As opinions evolve, and understanding of AI’s use in combating loneliness and other situations where people find it hard to talk to another human grows, the sweet, heartfelt message in the song may be the first step in changing attitudes towards chatbots, too.
