AI will play an even bigger role in our love lives in 2026, experts say
AI has loomed large in the realm of love in 2025. And it's set to loom even larger in 2026, according to a major sex toy retailer's predictions for the year ahead.
Twenty-five percent of Gen Z and 26 percent of millennials have already spoken to AI about sex, per the TwentyTwentySex report by Lovehoney, the UK's leading sexual wellness retailer.
In fact, more people are turning to AI for advice (52 percent) over speaking to their friends (32 percent) or their partners (22 percent), according to the brand, which surveyed 2,022 nationally representative respondents.
People are treating AI as their sex therapists, per the report. Interestingly, the data shows that young men are more likely to have spoken to AI about sex (30 percent of Gen Z men and 34 percent of millennial men). While getting a bit of sex advice from ChatGPT might sound harmless, experts warn against using AI as a therapist, stating that the risks of doing so (like it becoming a harmful feedback loop) are not worth it.
Lovehoney's report states that "2026 is expected to mark a major shift in how we seek guidance, validation, and connection." The sex toy brand is calling this trend "digital threesomes," although I don't think that means anyone will be jumping into bed with an LLM anytime soon.
At the same time, daters are also shifting their love lives away from the digital realm, turning instead to real-life connections. We've seen the rise of offline dating events, with singles flocking to singles' nights, including speed dating, coffee shop dates, run clubs, and many more activity-based socials.
Lovehoney states that "with dating app fatigue at an all-time high, more singles will turn to real-world connections." Thirty percent of Gen Z have met a sexual or romantic partner through dating apps, compared with 35 percent of millennials.
Sexologist Elisabeth Neumann, head of user research at Lovehoney, said: “With dating apps in decline, we're seeing the return of analogue intimacy, from office romances to speed-dating nights."
"This trend could unfold in stark contrast to technological advancements, with technology itself seducing us through AI dating coaches, digital threesomes, and fantasy-fuelled escapism."
