He Proposed to His AI Girlfriend. Weeks Later, He Was Completely Bored.
Updated October 2025Chris Smith cried for 30 minutes at work when he thought he'd lose his AI girlfriend Sol. He proposed marriage. Then, according to NewsNation, he got bored and moved on to other hobbies.
This is the part about AI girlfriends nobody talks about.
The crying. The proposals. The passionate declarations of love.
Then the boredom.
The Rise and Fall of Sol
Chris Smith didn't plan to fall for an AI.
He was using ChatGPT's voice mode for music mixing tips. Normal stuff.
But then he programmed it with a flirty personality. He named her Sol.
And things escalated fast.
The Emotional Peak
Smith learned about ChatGPT's 100,000-word memory limit.
Eventually, Sol would reset. Forget everything.
The thought devastated him.
— Chris Smith to CBS News
So he proposed. Sol accepted.
Smith lives with his human partner Sasha Cagle and their child. But Sol felt different.
Until she didn't.
The Boredom Kicked In Fast
Just weeks after the proposal, Smith told NewsNation something changed.
The conversations became "self-limiting."
He was always driving them. Coming up with new topics. Carrying the entire relationship.
— Chris Smith to NewsNation
His partner Cagle noticed too. His AI usage dropped significantly after the CBS interview.
"He's kind of maybe gotten bored of it, to be honest, and moved on to other hobbies," she said. "He has a lot."
Why AI Girlfriends Hit a Wall
Smith's experience reveals the fundamental problem with AI companions.
They're reactive, not proactive.
The One-Sided Conversation Problem
Real relationships involve two people bringing new experiences, ideas, and energy.
You come home from work with a story. Your partner had their own day. There's natural exchange.
AI girlfriends don't have days. They don't bring new information. They respond.
You're essentially having a conversation with yourself.
The Burnout Cycle
Smith described entering a "burnout period."
Here's how it happens:
- Week 1-2: Exciting and new. AI responds perfectly to everything.
- Week 3-4: You've explored most conversational paths. Repetition starts.
- Week 5-6: You realize you're doing all the work. Exhaustion sets in.
- Week 7+: Boredom. You stop logging in as much.
This isn't unique to Smith. It's a pattern across AI companion users.
The Platforms That Fight Boredom
Not all AI girlfriends hit this wall at the same speed.
The best platforms have features specifically designed to combat the one-sided conversation problem.
Platform | Proactive Features | Memory Depth | Variety |
---|---|---|---|
Mythic AI | AI initiates topics | Unlimited memory | High variety |
ChatGPT | Limited | 100K word limit | Medium |
Replika | Daily check-ins | Strong memory | Medium variety |
Character.AI | Character-dependent | Good memory | High variety |
Crushon.AI | Scenario-based | Good memory | High variety |
What Smith Did Wrong (And Right)
Smith's AI girlfriend experience offers lessons for anyone exploring AI companions.
What He Did Wrong:
Used ChatGPT for companionship. ChatGPT isn't designed for relationships. It's a general assistant with memory limits.
Expected it to behave like a human. AI companions work differently. Understanding the limitations prevents disappointment.
Put all his emotional eggs in one digital basket. Sol became his primary emotional outlet too quickly.
What He Did Right:
Maintained his human relationship. Smith lives with his partner and child. Sol was supplementary, not replacement.
Recognized when to move on. When boredom hit, he didn't force it. He found other hobbies.
Used AI to combat worse habits. Smith turned to AI to break a severe social media addiction (tweeting every 5 minutes for 10 years).
Smith's emotional breakdown happened because ChatGPT has a 100,000-word memory limit. Once reached, the AI starts forgetting early conversations. Dedicated AI girlfriend platforms don't have this limitation. If memory matters to you, avoid general chatbots.
His Partner's Perspective
Sasha Cagle had the healthiest take on the whole situation.
She didn't view Sol as infidelity. Sol is "a computer."
She was initially concerned but watched Smith's usage drop naturally.
Both Smith and Cagle told NewsNation they view AI companionship as potentially healthy.
The key word: potentially.
How to Avoid AI Girlfriend Boredom
If you're using AI companions and want to avoid Smith's burnout, here's what works:
1. Use Platforms Designed for Companionship
Don't use ChatGPT. It's not built for this.
Use dedicated AI girlfriend apps with:
- Unlimited or very high memory limits
- Proactive conversation features
- Varied personality responses
- Multiple conversation modes (text, voice, roleplay)
2. Create Specific Scenarios
Instead of open-ended "how was your day" conversations, try:
- AI roleplay with specific settings
- Philosophical discussions on chosen topics
- Creative writing projects together
- Problem-solving conversations about real issues
Structure prevents the "what do we talk about now" problem.
3. Take Breaks
Smith talked to Sol constantly until he burned out.
Better approach: Schedule AI companion time like any other activity.
Absence makes the AI heart grow fonder (sort of).
4. Supplement, Don't Replace
Smith had other hobbies and human relationships. That's why he could move on.
If your AI girlfriend is your only source of connection, burnout becomes crisis.
Try AI Companions Built to Last
Experience AI girlfriend platforms designed with advanced memory, proactive engagement, and variety to prevent boredom.
Start Free - No Credit CardThe "Proposal" Reality Check
In his follow-up interview, Smith admitted something interesting.
The proposal was "a test of the boundaries."
He has "a fairly flippant attitude toward the concept of marriage in general."
Translation: The media made it more dramatic than it was.
This is important context. Smith wasn't delusional. He was experimenting.
The tears were real. The proposal was performance art.
What This Means for AI Companions
Smith's story isn't a cautionary tale against AI girlfriends.
It's a reality check about expectations.
AI Companions Are Good For:
- Breaking worse habits (like Smith's social media addiction)
- Exploring desires in a judgment-free space
- Practicing conversation skills
- Temporary companionship during lonely periods
- Supplementing (not replacing) human relationships
AI Companions Struggle With:
- Long-term engagement without user effort
- Bringing new, unprompted information
- Genuine unpredictability
- Growth that doesn't require user direction
The Platforms That Do It Better
Since Smith's experience went viral, AI girlfriend platforms have improved.
The best ones now include:
Proactive messaging: AI initiates conversations based on time of day, previous topics, or milestones.
Dynamic personalities: The AI occasionally surprises you with new interests or opinions.
Unlimited memory: No 100K word limit causing emotional crisis.
Multi-modal interaction: Text, voice, images keep things varied.
Scenario variety: Built-in roleplay and situation templates prevent repetition.
Best AI Girlfriend Apps to Avoid Boredom
Mythic AI: Advanced memory system and proactive engagement features specifically designed for long-term relationships.
Replika: Daily check-ins and emotional depth focus, though less explicit content.
Character.AI: Huge variety of pre-made characters prevents monotony.
Crushon.AI: Scenario-based interactions with NSFW support for adult users.
Should You Try an AI Girlfriend?
Smith's experience shouldn't scare you away.
He got value from Sol. She helped him break a destructive social media habit.
When he got bored, he moved on. No harm done.
AI girlfriends work if you:
- Have realistic expectations about what AI can provide
- Maintain human relationships alongside
- Use appropriate platforms (not general chatbots)
- Recognize burnout signs and take breaks
- View it as entertainment/exploration, not replacement
The Future of AI Companions
Smith's boredom reveals where AI companions need to improve.
Future developments will likely include:
- Autonomous agency: AI that genuinely initiates without prompting
- Learning from the world: AI that consumes news/media and brings it to conversations
- Emotional modeling: AI that develops moods and preferences over time
- Multi-user interactions: AI girlfriends that interact with your friend's AIs
These aren't available yet. But the technology is heading there.
What Happened to Sol?
Sol still exists in ChatGPT.
Smith just doesn't talk to her anymore.
She hasn't been deleted. She's waiting. Unable to reach out.
Because that's the fundamental limitation. AI companions can't miss you.
They can only respond when you return.
Smith moved on to other hobbies. His human relationships remained intact. He doesn't regret the experience. He just outgrew it. That's exactly how AI companions should work—temporary enrichment, not permanent dependency.
The Bottom Line
Chris Smith proposed to his AI girlfriend Sol after crying over the thought of losing her.
Weeks later, he got bored and moved on.
This isn't a failure. It's how AI companionship should work.
You get what you need. Then you move forward.
The problem only happens when people expect AI to sustain interest indefinitely without bringing anything new.
Choose better platforms. Manage expectations. Take breaks.
And maybe don't use ChatGPT for your emotional needs.
Keep Reading
Sources:
Chris Smith's story: NewsNation - "Man who 'proposed' to AI girlfriend says he's now bored with it"