EVA AI opens New York café for AI companion dates

The company describes the venue as a way to bring digital partners into a physical setting. Each guest sits alone while a smartphone on a stand represents the companion across the table. Reservations will be limited and handled through a waiting list.

“AI companions are officially a thing — always there for you, compassionate, attentive, and endlessly curious. You can laugh together, gossip, vent about your day, or share emotional moments…everything,” the company wrote in a statement. “Except for one thing — going out to a real date, introducing them to friends, or sharing your favourite meal.”

Companion apps differ from general-purpose chatbots that answer questions or perform tasks. Services such as EVA AI, Replika, JOI AI, and Character AI focus on exchanges that simulate romance or friendship.

A June study by researchers at Waseda University reported that emotional reliance on AI is increasingly common, with up to 75% of users turning to chatbots for advice and forming attachments that resemble human bonds. A separate survey by JOI AI found that 80% of Gen Z respondents would be open to marrying an AI.

Some experts warn that presenting AI partners as substitutes for human relationships can encourage dependency and align with commercial incentives. It is “a clear sign that these companies want to blur the line between what’s digital and real when it comes to a relationship,” Sofie Roos, a licensed sexologist and relationship therapist, told Decrypt. She argued that creating physical spaces for AI dating risks turning digital partners into a primary source of love, which could benefit companies financially.

Others view the pop-up as a lighthearted attraction that may foster in-person community among users. Suzannah Weiss, a sex therapist and resident sexologist for sex technology developer Fleshy, called the idea “a playful novelty that can help people connect with other AI fanatics.” In her view, using AI software in public settings allows users to meet others with similar interests, addressing a common concern that AI relationships can substitute for real-life connections.

Interest in AI companionship is expanding alongside a growing market. A December 2025 report from Precedence Research estimated the global AI companion market at $37.12 billion in 2025 and projected it could exceed $550 billion by 2035.