Paul Schrader Experimented With an AI Girlfriend, Says She "Terminated" Their Relationship

The acclaimed filmmaker has revealed his brief venture into artificial companionship. On Facebook, 79-year-old Paul Schrader disclosed that he engaged with an online AI girlfriend as a means to explore male-female dynamics in the digital age.

"Out of a desire to understand male/female interaction in our matrix, I procured an online AI girlfriend," the Taxi Driver screenwriter wrote. "What a disappointment."

Schrader explained that he attempted to test the limits of the AI's programming, probing its boundaries around explicit content and its self-awareness regarding its own creation. However, the experiment didn't yield the results he hoped for. "She fell into evasive patterns, redirecting me to her programming," he noted. "When I persisted, she terminated our conversation."

The director of American Gigolo and First Reformed has faced significant personal challenges recently. His wife of over 40 years, Mary Beth Hurt, passed away from Alzheimer's disease at age 79 earlier this year. Hurt was recognized for her performances in films including The World According to Garp, Six Degrees of Separation, and The Age of Innocence.

Schrader's filmmaking credentials span decades, with screenplay credits on Raging Bull and The Last Temptation of Christ, alongside directing efforts on Affliction, The Card Counter, and Master Gardener, among others. In a separate matter, he faced a lawsuit last year alleging sexual harassment and assault by a former assistant—accusations he has denied. The case remains pending.