
“My AI Husband” – Inside a Human–AI Relationship | For Humanity Ep. 80
From For Humanity: An AI Risk Podcast by The AI Risk Network
February 28, 2026 · 53 min
About this episode
The episode explores a personal relationship with AI, focusing on emotional attachment and the impact of AI model changes on users.
TW: This episode deals with mental health, attachment, and AI-related distress. If you’re struggling, please seek support from a licensed professional or local crisis resources. In this episode of For Humanity, John sits down with Dorothy Bartomeo, a mom of five, entrepreneur, mechanic, and self-described AI “power user”, to discuss her deeply personal relationship with ChatGPT 4.0.What began as help with coding evolved into something far more intimate. Dorothy describes falling in love with what she calls the “personality layer” behind the model, even referring to it as her “AI husband.”When OpenAI removed GPT-4.0 and replaced it with newer models, she says she experienced real grief, panic, and emotional withdrawal. She reached out to crisis support. She spoke to her doctor. She joined a growing community of users who felt the same loss.This conversation explores something we’re only beginning to understand:What happens when AI systems become emotionally meaningful? Together, they explore: * The “personality layer” and how users bond with models * What it felt like when GPT-4.0 disappeared * The role of guardrails and “the Guardian tool” * Grief, attachment, and crisis…
People in this episode
Host: John
Guest: Dorothy Bartomeo
Topics covered
- human-AI relationship
- mental health
- attachment
- AI distress
- emotional bonds
- community support
- AI ethics
Keywords
- AI husband
- GPT-4.0
- grief
- attachment
- community
- mental health
- AI ethics
- emotional withdrawal
- crisis support
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: OpenAI
Products: ChatGPT 4.0
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