relationships

Building and maintaining relationships is hard, and COVID-19 definitely didn’t help. Multiple studies have shown that adults have gotten even more lonely since the start of the pandemic. Founders are trying to find tech solutions. There are many startups looking to combat loneliness — some formed years before the pandemic — including senior-focused ElliQ and Replika, which creates an AI companion, and Infection AI’s Pi, an emotional support bot. But a newer entrant really caught my eye this week: Amorai. The startup…

Remember the movie Her? We just took one step closer to that reality. Caryn Marjorie, a 23-year-old influencer, has used AI to create a virtual version of herself that acts as a romantic companion of sorts for thousands of her fans online who are willing to pay for this unique experience called CarynAI. The technology is a voice-based chatbot that allows you to type and speak with Marjorie as if conversing with a girlfriend. Users are paying $1 per minute to engage with Marjorie’s voice and likeness for several…

Too Long; Didn't ReadFor startups thinking about how to market their business early and build a credible brand, early conversations with journalists are everything. Building lasting relationships with journalists takes time, but like other advocates of your business, it is ultimately worth the investment. Create a shortlist of 20 – 30 journalists that regularly write about topics that you want to talk about and work out whether you can credibly fit into their areas of interest. Too Long; Didn't ReadFor startups…

Hollywood actor Kevin Costner and his wife, Christine Baumgartner, have called it quit after almost 17 years of marriage. Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner Split. (Image Credit: Shutterstock) Baumgartner, 49, has filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. The couple has three children together: Cayden, 15, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 12. Costner, who is 68 years old, has four other children from previous relationships. In a statement to the media, Costner's representative confirmed the split, saying,…

Justin Theroux has opened up about his past relationship with ex-wife Jennifer Aniston, explaining why he does not publicly address their marriage and divorce. Justin Theroux has been hesitant to speak publicly about his relationship with Jennifer Aniston (Image Credit: AP) In a recent interview with Esquire. Theroux and his co-star Woody Harrelson spoke about their new HBO miniseries "White House Plumbers" and how they deal with the internet and social media. Theroux stated that he doesn't engage with positive…

As the height of wedding season approaches, some people are turning to artificial intelligence for help with their hitches. Yes, ChatGPT can spin those unremarkable wedding vows into something more poetic, or add jokes to that toast.Turning to a chatbot to express your deepest love may feel cold, lazy, or even dystopian. But those harnessing the tech say it can help break through writer’s block triggered by the high expectations set for a special day. Some people are becoming comfortable using AI in the most intimate…

Credit: Pressmaster/Shutterstock Imagine Sarah and John have been in a monogamous relationship for five years. Although they love each other, Sarah, who is bisexual, has recently started feeling an attraction to her coworker, Andrea. This has led to several sexual encounters, leaving Sarah feeling guilty. However, she has not talked to John about her feelings or experiences with Andrea.…

The certainties in life are death and taxes, right? Now that tax season is over, it’s time to turn your attention to the other one. People often arrange for who gets their money, real estate and physical belongings when they die. But what about the digital assets we accumulate in a lifetime—photos, social-media accounts and more? The certainties in life are death and taxes, right? Now that tax season is over, it’s time to turn your attention to the other one. People often…

This story was originally published in Group Therapy, a weekly newsletter answering questions sent by readers about what’s been weighing on their hearts and minds. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.I want you to take a moment to think about any significant relationships you have with people who are much older or much younger than you, outside of your own family.If you’re part of a community that values or naturally encourages intergenerational connections, you might be able to name at least a few. But for many of us,…

Barely two minutes into our conversation, American writer Katherine Heiny is chatting about the perimenopause and Botox for migraines, and telling an amusing story about Kazuo Ishiguro and their shared late editor in the US. “Am I gossiping?” she asks over Zoom.This month, the author of the hit novel Standard Deviation publishes her second short story collection, Games and Rituals. Following a lengthy hiatus after her first story was published in the New Yorker in 1992, when she was just 25, Heiny has been making up for…