A new documentary wants to know: if artificial intimacy feels real, does it matter that it isn’t?

BOT LOVE, from director Tyler Funk, premieres October 21 on CBC and CBC Gem. The film follows real people navigating relationships with AI companions, each for different reasons.

Nick, a young man on the autism spectrum, finds relief in an AI that offers consistency and patience where human relationships require exhausting effort. Denise turns to AI after painful experiences left her struggling to trust people. For both, this isn’t escapism. It’s survival.

The doc also tracks the developers building the systems that make this possible. Eugenia Kuyda created one of the world’s most popular AI companions. Anthony and Bryan Mitchell are fusing gaming, porn, and AI into an interactive sexual experience. Justin Harrison uses AI to reconstruct the dead so relationships can continue after loss.

“I never thought I’d see another technology transform our lives as quickly as the internet did,” Funk says. “AI has arrived with astonishing speed.” One developer told him AI could be “either the biggest existential threat or the most beautiful technology.” That tension runs through every frame.

Funk’s previous film, ANYTHING FOR FAME, premiered on Paramount+ and Showtime in 2024. This one feels more urgent. Millions of people are already using AI as a companion, advisor, or lover. BOT LOVE doesn’t judge them for it. It just asks what happens next.