The atmosphere is relaxed, the lights are dim, jazz music is playing, and your table is reserved. You sit down, order a glass of wine, and for a moment you're captivated by the idea that this could be the start of a new romance. Everything suggests a classic blind date, until you notice an impossible-to-ignore detail: there's only one seat in front of you. The "partner" you're about to spend the evening with won't walk in through the door, but "lives" on a smartphone screen, tailor-made by artificial intelligence. No, you're not in a dystopian episode of Black Mirror, but this is reality. A few days ago, a pop-up created by EVA AI opened in New York, the app that allows users to create a digital companion at will, ready to converse, listen, and fill that seat at the table that remains physically empty but narratively full.
Why Such an Idea? What Does a Relationship With a Digital Companion Entail?
Although once inside, you might feel like you're in the award-winning British series we mentioned earlier, where every episode focuses on the side effects of new technologies, in reality, everything feels so "real." The EVA Café isn't like the usual crowded bars or those typical restaurants for couples in the Big Apple; here, there are just tables with elegant smartphone holders. It's here that you'll meet the personalized avatar you created (during the booking process), ready to chat, laugh, share emotions, and bring a romantic dinner 2.0 to life.
According to the app's data, nearly 1 in 3 men and 1 in 4 women under 30 have already established emotional or emotional bonds with a virtual partner created by AI. For some users, meeting in this way allows them to finally be listened to, to laugh, to confide in each other, and therefore to aim for an almost "liberating" date. In short, they explain that in this way they can give form to their emotions, enjoying an experience very similar to a traditional date, but without the social complexity of "real life." For others, this coffee represents a testament to how technology is redefining the concept of intimacy: more fluid, hybrid relationships, perhaps more accessible, but also "safer" in some respects.
Reservations are already open. To participate, each participant must first create their own virtual companion through the EVA AI app. Those interested can register for the waiting list on the official website. Once the café opens, registered participants will receive a notification with all the operational information, including the exact location.
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