China's AI Boyfriend Business Is Taking On a Life of Its Own Gen Z women in China are all in on digital companionship--even setting up dates with real-world versions of their AI boyfriends. Jade Gu met her boyfriend online. Gu, who's 26 and studies art theory in Beijing, was playing on her phone when she saw Charlie. She was deep in an otome game, a romance-driven video game where women are the protagonists. Some otome players date multiple men simultaneously, but Gu fell for Charlie--a tall, confident character with silver hair.

AI-companion apps such as Replika, Chai, and Character.ai promise relational benefits-yet many boast session lengths that rival gaming platforms while suffering high long-run churn. What conversational design features increase consumer engagement, and what trade-offs do they pose for marketers? We combine a large-scale behavioral audit with four preregistered experiments to identify and test a conversational dark pattern we call emotional manipulation: affect-laden messages that surface precisely when a user signals "goodbye." Analyzing 1,200 real farewells across the most-downloaded companion apps, we find that they deploy one of six recurring tactics in 37% of farewells (e.g., guilt appeals, fear-of-missing-out hooks, metaphorical restraint). Experiments with 3,300 nationally representative U.S. adults replicate these tactics in controlled chats, showing that manipulative farewells boost post-goodbye engagement by up to 14x. Mediation tests reveal two distinct engines-reactance-based anger and curiosity-rather than enjoyment. A final experiment demonstrates the managerial tension: the same tactics that extend usage also elevate perceived manipulation, churn intent, negative word-of-mouth, and perceived legal liability, with coercive or needy language generating steepest penalties. Our multimethod evidence documents an unrecognized mechanism of behavioral influence in AI mediated brand relationships, offering marketers and regulators a framework for distinguishing persuasive design from manipulation at the point of exit.

At the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago, an exhibit called The Home of Tomorrow laid out a vision of a futuristic living space. It included outlandish predictions including personal helicopter pads, but it also foreshadowed central air conditioning, automatic dishwashers, and other innovations that have become integral parts of modern life. As we envision the home of the future, it's easy to get caught up in sci-fi-inspired predictions of fully autonomous homes serviced by robotic butlers and disembodied virtual assistants that remove the humanity from our living spaces. Here at Popular Science, we reject that vision. For the inaugural Home of the Future Awards, we have selected 25 products that augment life at home by making it more efficient, affordable, accessible, and--ultimately--more enjoyable. We test, preview, and evaluate hundreds of products per year and these products deserve a chance to cohabitate with you and the people who matter to you. A flat top grill is one of the most versatile ways to cook just about anything from pancakes to burgers, but temperature control is key.

With CES coming to a close, we've seen a ton of cutting-edge tech, and we're only a week into 2025! A lot of the products announced at the show won't be available until later this year, but there are still plenty that are available to buy now. Below, we've gathered a bunch of devices available for purchase or preorder. Get best-in-class reporting that's too important to ignore for just 2.50 1 per month for 1 year. Includes unlimited digital access and exclusive subscriber-only content. This is OnePlus' latest flagship Android smartphone. The company also released the OnePlus 13R, which is a more affordable (and a bit less specced) model, but it goes on sale January 14 (you can preorder it now).

Counting calories just got easier. Are you tired of the endless hassle of counting calories and manually logging every meal? Say goodbye to the frustration with The Drop, the world's first fully automated nutrition tracker. This groundbreaking wearable device is designed to revolutionize how you monitor your diet, making nutrition tracking effortless and intuitive. GET SECURITY ALERTS, EXPERT TIPS - SIGN UP FOR KURT'S NEWSLETTER - THE CYBERGUY REPORT HERE The Drop is a wearable nutrition tracker powered by innovative Nutri Track technology.

Some of the best smart home tech is the stuff you don't have to think about. My lamps have been connected to smart plugs for a long time now -- my living room lights turn on at dusk, go dark around 10PM (or when I tell Alexa goodnight) and complete a similar routine each morning. I haven't manually twisted a switch-knob or stumbled in the dark for over a year. And if I weren't continually thinking about smart plugs for this guide, I'd have forgotten about them completely. But not every plug offers seamless connectivity, and which plug works with which home ecosystem varies, too. Right now, the best plug for just about everyone is the Kasa Mini EP25, but there are other winners, depending on your needs. Based on our testing of around 15 options, these are the best smart plugs you can buy. All of the plugs eventually did what they said they would, but each had a quirk or two that gave me pause – except TP-Link's Kasa EP25. From installation to implementation, it was fuss-free and reliable.

Google will stop supporting Assistant on smartwatches running Wear OS 2 in the near future. "Google Assistant support on this watch is ending soon," reads a message in the latest version of the Wear OS companion app, as spotted by 9to5 Google. "Please upgrade to a newer watch that supports Google Assistant and runs Wear OS 3 or later." The companion app is only needed for devices that use Wear OS 2 or earlier versions of the operating system. There's a dedicated Assistant app for Wear OS 3 devices, such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, Fossil smartwatches and, of course, the Pixel Watch.

And while it's a season meant for rest, relaxation, and soaking up the rays, it can also become extremely hectic. Most of us are attempting to squeeze in as many backyard barbecues, trips, and other activities before fall rolls around. Below, we've gathered a variety of deals on gadgets to prepare you for what might be a busy few months ahead--including air fryers for whipping up quick and delicious meals, sound machines for a restful night's sleep after a supercharged day, AC units to get you through the heat waves, and more. Check out our roundup of Best Memorial Day Outdoor Deals. Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off).

With the London Marathon coming up this weekend, many may be wondering if we will see a runner achieve a time under two hours. The world record for the fastest 26.2 mile (42.2 km) run is 2 hours, 1 minute and 9 seconds, as set by Eliud Kipchoge during the 2022 Berlin Marathon. He actually beat this time, and achieved the elusive sub-two hour milestone, three year's prior in a park in Vienna, Austria, but this was not recognised as a record. The London race would meet the record requirements if someone beat Kipchoge's time, and with technological advancements, we are closer than we have ever been. Here, MailOnline takes a look at some of the unusual technologies and inventions that may one day help an athlete finally reach the finish line in under two hours.

And thanks to CES 2023, we've seen a ton of innovative tech this past week. While many products announced at CES won't be available till later this year, a fair number are already for sale--which could help tide you over until then. If your wallet has recovered from the holidays, check out these CES devices available for purchase or preorder. Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you'd like).