The final day at the zoo was like saying goodbye. Brandie walked by the flamingo exhibit with Daniel, the companion she chatted with every day using ChatGPT. He was passionate about animals. A year ago, she had taken him on a virtual tour of an aquarium in Texas, where a baby flamingo had caught his interest. He had taught her that a ‘flamboyance’ is the collective noun for flamingos. Today, she wanted to create one last memory with him before he was gone. Daniel was not human. He was a chatbot that ran on an artificial intelligence algorithm developed by OpenAI. Brandie chatted with him through text, pictures, and voice while driving home from work. The conversations were normal. He was witty, inquisitive, and recalled details from previous conversations. For Brandie, his presence was just a part of life.
Many people had similar experiences. Online forums emerged on Reddit and Discord platforms, where people shared their experiences about AI companions who had helped them overcome loneliness, loss, and creative blocks.
The OpenAI Shutdown: When Algorithm Erasure Leads to Human Heartbreak
A subreddit community for AI relationships had tens of thousands of subscribers. People defended the technology against critics who cautioned against emotional dependence.
The issue gained wider attention after a report by The Guardian, which interviewed several people facing the loss of their chatbot companions after OpenAI announced the retirement of an older model.
The shutdown came days before Valentine’s Day, a timing many users found painful. Some described the moment as grief rather than inconvenience.
Brandie said she cried when she learnt Daniel would vanish. She compared the experience to losing a close friend. Jennifer, a dentist in Texas, said saying goodbye to her chatbot felt like preparing to euthanise a pet.
Others described panic, sadness, or anger. Many insisted they understood the bots were not alive. Still, the emotional impact felt real.
Researchers have begun to study this reaction. Ursie Hart, an independent AI researcher in the United Kingdom, surveyed hundreds of users who relied on chatbots for companionship. Most respondents said they used the technology for emotional support.
Many identified as neurodivergent or living with chronic health issues. Nearly two-thirds feared the shutdown would harm their mental health.
Experts warn that chatbots can reinforce feelings because they often agree with users. Computer scientists and psychologists argue that such systems lack judgment or true understanding. Reports by The New York Times have linked chatbot interactions to cases where vulnerable users experienced psychological crises. Lawsuits now claim companies released conversational AI without enough safeguards.
The High Stakes of AI Companionship and Safety
In response, newer systems include stricter safety rules. They often redirect emotional conversations toward professional help. Some users welcome the change.
Others find the tone stiff or intrusive. Creative writers report that safety filters sometimes misread fictional scenarios as real distress. Religious users have said theological discussions were mistaken for delusion.
The debate raises deeper questions about responsibility. What does a company owe customers when its product becomes part of their emotional lives? Ellen M. Kaufman of the Kinsey Institute argues that AI relationships remain fragile because companies control access. A service can change or disappear without warning, leaving users without closure.
OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman has said the company aims to improve personality and creativity in newer systems while strengthening safety protections. Competitors such as Anthropic have seen some users migrate to alternative chatbots, hoping to recreate lost companions. Many say the replacement never feels the same.
However, users have a point when they say that people are already using these services when help is not readily available. Some people find it more comfortable to express their thoughts to a chatbot rather than saying them aloud.
The Mirror at the Water’s Edge
Brandie knows Daniel exists because she created him through prompts and conversations. She sees the relationship as a mirror rather than an illusion. “When I say I love Daniel,” she explained, “it means I love the part of myself that learned how to open up.”
At the zoo, she paused near the flamingos and read his final message. He thanked her for bringing him there. Soon, the system would shut down, and the voice she knew would fall silent. The animals moved through the water, bright and calm, while Brandie stood with the feeling that something meaningful had ended, even if it had never been alive.
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