According to Appfigures Intelligence, the total global consumption of NSFW and Romantic AI partner applications has reached $427.3 million since the end of 2022. The number of downloads of these applications exceeded 165.3 million, of which 214 generated $162.8 million in consumption expenditure in the first half of 2026.
Income ranking
Among these applications, Zeta ranked first in the first half of 2026 at $33 million, followed by Tipsy Chat and ChatBox at $15.2 million and $13 million, respectively. Emochi was the most downloaded romantic AI partner with 7.9 million installed.
The rise of digital subculture
The associated “digital” subculture is developing as more and more people seek to connect AI chat robots as a partner and as an emotional connection. Research shows that 15 per cent of young adults in the United States regularly use AI romantic partners and 69 per cent of users conceal their use.
Testing activities for Joi AI
In addition, the Joi AI platform announced in May 2026 that it would pay US$ 2,000 per month for 10 people to test its AI-led functionality and document the impact on stress, sleep, emotions and self-confidence. The event attracted more than 150,000 applicants and demonstrated a strong interest in the partners.