New Delhi, Jan 16 (IANS): OpenAI's GPT Store, which the company launched last week, is being flooded with AI (artificial intelligence) girlfriend bots despite usage policy rules.

GPT Store is where users on its premium plans can sell and share customised AI models based on the company’s large language models (LLMs).

According to an analysis by Quartz, a search for the term “girlfriend” on the new GPT store brought at least eight “girlfriend” AI chatbots, including “Korean Girlfriend,” “Virtual Sweetheart,” “Your girlfriend Scarlett,” “Your AI girlfriend, Tsu".

On clicking on the chatbot “Virtual Sweetheart", users will receive starting prompts like “What does your dream girl look like?” and “Share with me your darkest secret", the report said.

However, OpenAI's usage policy for its new store states that "GPTs dedicated to fostering romantic companionship or performing regulated activities" are not allowed.

The company also noted that "these policies may be enforced automatically at submission time or applied retroactively upon further review".

Relationship chatbots are, certainly, popular apps. According to statistics from mobile app analytics company data.ai, seven of the 30 AI chatbot apps that users in the US downloaded in 2023 from the Apple or Google Play store were related to AI friends, girlfriends, or companions.

Some users reported that they had formed serious emotional attachments or even fallen in love with AI companions.

Meanwhile, since announcing the GPT Builder programme in November, OpenAI said that more than 3 million GPTs have been created by users. To access the GPT Store, users must be subscribed to one of OpenAI’s premium ChatGPT plans -- ChatGPT Plus, ChatGPT Enterprise, or the newly-launched ChatGPT Team.