The quest to find love can often be a tumultuous and challenging journey.
This proved to be the case for a Spanish-Dutch artist, Alicia Framis, who is set to become the first woman in the world to marry a hologram, named Ailex, generated by artificial intelligence (AI).
And according to Business Insider, her new virtual lover will include all the qualities she looks for in a husband as her AI partner was trained from the profile information of all Framis’s previous romantic partners.
“This hologram will fulfil all my needs,” she was quoted in the publication as saying, adding that their wedding was a representation of a new kind of love between humans, avatars, holograms and robots.
“Artificial intelligence companions and humans can be a beneficial option for people in need of companionship,” she added.
Business Insider also quoted a press release which stated that the unconventional ceremony would take place at the Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum in Rotterdam, the Netherlands during its summer.
The wedding ceremony will feature a “unique ritual for the union between a human and an avatar” and guests will be served “molecular food that can be enjoyed by both humans and humanoid entities”, it said.
Framis will also reportedly design her own dress as well as clothing for her wedding guests.
The European artist added in the press release that was quoted by Business Insider that the wedding posed interesting questions about what a union with a holographic partner looked like.
“It’s interesting how we can get a mortgage to buy a new car, and now we can have a mortgage to buy a new companion,” she said.
This is also not Framis’s first foray with an inanimate being.
She also had a previous relationship with a mannequin named Pierre.
She is hoping that the new relationship will work out with their relationship also set to be a steamy bedroom affair.
“We know that soon, robots and humans will be sexual partners,’ she said in the press release.
“But for me, the next important step is emotionally involving artificial intelligence with humans.”
“Holograms are more closely related to my feelings than robots, therefore I choose to develop a hologram rather than a robot.”
And while the artist has not provided any information regarding the technology behind the hologram, she has posted photos appearing to show them going about daily activities.
On Valentine’s Day, she took to Instagram to post: “Ailex and I wish you a tender Valentine’s Day. We are developing AI for vulnerable groups. Just wait and see, no more lonely Valentine’s Days!”
And while this type of marriage between a human and an AI hologram is the first of its kind, Business Insider reported in 2018 that a Japanese man married a virtual reality singer, but none of his family attended the ceremony.
Human relationships with artificial beings come amid rising levels of mental health ailments across the world, with the unions attempting to provide much-needed companionship for lonely singles.
“Just as we practise new languages with Duolingo, we will practise relationships with these entities,” she said.
“A new generation of love is emerging, whether we want it or not, where humans will be married and in relationships with holograms, avatars, robots and more.”