How much is accepted in romance pairings?

[Ryudo1701]

Hey, I was thinking about writing another story at the side and as you can guess from the thread title it's partly romance.
Now, while there are multitude of pairings already in existence (with most being girls love) somehow I landed at pairing the MC with an AI (with the story being based at RL and VrMmo).
The stories I've read before generally have their pairings being existing ones, while here it could be seen as a love for some thing. Am I just overthinking things?
I find this ship really interesting as it makes me think how it would be seen by others, the general balance between a lone reality and a fake world you found love in. The possibility of an update ruining the data, ending the life of the AI or resetting its personality (don't know what would be worse...).

 

[Moonpearl]

There are a ton of stories and fanfics dedicated to falling in love with robots and/or AI.

I don't think it's an off-putting pairing at all.

 

[LostLibrarian]

The mainstream-media produced romance between a woman and a ghost 30 years ago. So an AI isn't really that outrageous...

And from reading your thoughts, this story sounds less like a romance story and more of a morality/worldview story to me. In which case the "acceptance of the pairing" is even less an issue, because that should be the big question your story answers for the reader...

 

[Suryae]

As long as the A.I. is a consenting adult...

 

[Ryudo1701]

There are a ton of stories and fanfics dedicated to falling in love with robots and/or AI.

Robots I've seen before but never AI. Well, there are so many stories out there, we can only know so many of them. But those I've seen always had them integrate into RL at some point, which I would probably try to avoid, or they were there to begin with.

The mainstream-media produced romance between a woman and a ghost 30 years ago. So an AI isn't really that outrageous...

Well, ghost are a little bit different in my opinion, as they lived at some point. But I can see your point.

 

[Ryudo1701]

As long as the A.I. is a consenting adult...

Well, as the game would have been released about one year prior... At what age are AI's considered adults?
Don't want to turn the MC into a pedophile...

 

[Suryae]

At what age are AI's considered adults?

Good question...

Maybe when it's out of beta?

 

[Owl]

An AI is considered an adult when the AI is programmed to act as an adult, I guess...? This is a topic that could spark a completely different discussion Just make it adult-looking, with adult behaviour and it should be fine

 

[LostLibrarian]

But I can see your point.

The thing about romance isn't whether something is physical or not, but whether both parties can communicate and change due to that communication. So as long as that is possible, you have the foundation for a romance. In that case it's your job as writer to make that pairing seem attractive (e.g. the main character finds some kind of care or fulfillment that doesn't exist in the real world for him). But that is the same work for any romantic pairing. Even if you have two heterosexual human partners you still have to do that same work or people will find it forced...

If your AI can't change (which should be the norm for a game's AI), then it remains a one-sided affection. At which this won't be a romance story and (as written above) more of a worldview/morality story. And in that, your story directly or indirectly answers the question whether this is a good pairing for the reader. In which case, it doesn't matter what is accepted or not because it's your work as writer to make the reader arrive at the point you want them to...


In short: don't think too much about it. In the end, you just have to put in the work to make it "feel right" (or use that it doesn't feel right)...

 

[OvidLemma]

Well, as the game would have been released about one year prior... At what age are AI's considered adults?
Don't want to turn the MC into a pedophile...

I'd say the criterion to go by is informed consent. If the AI is intelligent and mature enough to understand the consequences of its actions and to express and act in its own self-interest, then it has all of the necessary capabilities. Age of consent in humans is species-specific to how long it takes for us to sexually and psychologically develop. I assume the AI is programmed with human or superhuman capabilities, so I think it's probably a-ok.

 

[Moonpearl]

Robots I've seen before but never AI. Well, there are so many stories out there, we can only know so many of them. But those I've seen always had them integrate into RL at some point, which I would probably try to avoid, or they were there to begin with.

This is one of my favourites: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4246752

It ships the character with a genuine AI from his show.

I don't know precisely what you mean by integration into real life, though? That they become more human or the like?

 

[Discount_Blade]

This is one of my favourites: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4246752

It ships the character with a genuine AI from his show.

I don't know precisely what you mean by integration into real life, though? That they become more human or the like?

Well, Cortana from Halo had this kinda sorta romantic tension with Master Chief all throughout several of the games. Then during the last one when she and the other AI all collectively rebelled against Humanity it was kind of hinted at her achieving or at least being able to achieve a physical form. She continuously kept trying to recruit Master Chief all throughout wanting him to be her champion so to speak. And Cortana still made sure no one and nothing harmed him even when he didn't give her the answer she wanted.

It's not outright romance but it's very much implied that there are some strong emotions involved between the two.

 

[Maple-Leaf]

Well, Cortana from Halo had this kinda sorta romantic tension with Master Chief all throughout several of the games. Then during the last one when she and the other AI all collectively rebelled against Humanity it was kind of hinted at her achieving or at least being able to achieve a physical form. She continuously kept trying to recruit Master Chief all throughout wanting him to be her champion so to speak. And Cortana still made sure no one and nothing harmed him even when he didn't give her the answer she wanted.

It's not outright romance but it's very much implied that there are some strong emotions involved between the two.

 

[Discount_Blade]

View attachment 4195

LOL