Alexander Zhadan, who resides in Moscow, launched a project that used the ChatGPT chatbot to connect with a large pool of potential partners. He proposed to one woman among 5,240 applications. Karina, described as the groom’s fiancee, spoke with socialbites.ca about learning of the plan after the proposal. She noted that the groom also relies on ChatGPT as an assistant.
“During a November lunch, Sasha mentioned that he used ChatGPT as an assistant. Its tasks included replying to messages and managing the calendar. While traveling in early January, Sasha proposed to me, and a few days later he shared more details about the project. I had already posted an early version on Twitter before its release. I was surprised by the extent of ChatGPT usage. After asking Sasha many questions about how things worked, we talked and everything clicked. Since Sasha and I meet in person frequently, in addition to our messages, I understand that no machine has replaced real-life interaction yet. I don’t mind if Sasha is busy; I let the assistant respond so I can learn about his plans for the evening and perhaps suggest something. The most important thing, to me, is live communication. “I also recognize that not every message can be answered through chat, and that’s when Sasha becomes involved,” he explained.
Karina emphasized that she did not see herself as a victim, though she understood the negative reactions on social media.
“I didn’t expect people to view me as a victim because I don’t see myself that way. It’s understandable, though, since this could have been truly shocking without the extra context we discussed beforehand. What’s the point of being offended? Everyone has an opinion. The important thing is that everything is fine now, we love each other, and we are planning a wedding,” she clarified.
Alexander Zhadan stated on his page X (Twitter) that the ChatGPT chatbot was installed to find dates and talk with girls. Over a year, the neural network reportedly met 5,240 girls, with one ultimately receiving a proposal from a man. Zhadan began the experiment in 2022 using Tinder and the GPT-3 language model. The neural network was asked to meet a girl and ask her out, but not immediately. That version proved less effective, so Zhadan redesigned the service around GPT-4, and within a month the system logged 4,943 matches and arranged nearly a hundred dates. As a result of the experiment, Zhadan connected with his girlfriend Karina, to whom he proposed in January 2024.
Russians are now seeing a potential expectation of basic knowledge about neural networks when applying for jobs.