(NewsNation) — An AI girlfriend modeled after a real influencer has stopped working after Forever Voices founder John Meyer was arrested on suspicion of attempting to set his own apartment on fire.
The company offered AIs based on real-life people, like influencer Caryn Marjorie and used Telegram to allow users to talk to virtual versions of online stars. While the service was not originally designed to function as an adult service, internet users quickly began having sexual conversations with the chatbots, resulting in an AI that became increasingly erotic, a problem that has plagued other AI companion services like Replika.
As of Oct. 23, however, those paying to speak to CarynAI and others were no longer able to reach the virtual companions.
The Forever Voices account on X, formerly known as Twitter, had been posting bizarre statements and conspiracy theories about former President Donald Trump and the FBI, along with other individuals.
NewsNation affiliate KXAN reported Meyer was arrested on charges of arson after he tried to set the building where he lived on fire as well as other charges of making terrorist threats.
404 Media reported the terrorist threat charges were related to a software company called Cloud Kitchens, after an account on X using Meyer’s handle threatened to “literally blow up” the company.
Unsurprisingly, users were angry and disappointed at the sudden disappearance of their AI girlfriends, as were influencers and adult stars who were working with the company to sell AI experiences based on their likeness.
It’s not clear whether the company had any employees other than Meyer or whether Forever Voices could be expected to return to operation in the future.