Despite four decades as a divorce attorney, Bethesda lawyer Cheryl New found herself in uncharted territory during a recent case. Her client’s husband was sending messages—and hundreds of thousands of dollars—to a creator on an adult-content site. Eventually, he learned that the woman wasn’t a real person at all but an AI chatbot. Still, he opted to continue their relationship, giving “her” his desire, money, and attention, similar to any other affair. “I’ve handled my share of unconventional cases,” New says. “But this was the first time I’ve thought, ‘I don’t even know if I can call her a person.’ ” New isn’t alone. Local divorce attorneys say they’re encountering a steadily growing number of cases where AI is at the center of marital breakdown. It’s showing up in different forms: companion apps such as Replika and Nomi, marketed as always-available girlfriends or confidants; chatbots on adult-content platforms, where a customer can talk to an AI version of a real or invented person; and, increasingly, general-purpose platforms such as ChatGPT, where people spend hours engaging in unfiltered emotional conversation. Lawyers say the technology is rarely the sole cause of a divorce, but it’s becoming a common thread or the tipping point for a marriage. According to Bridget Todd, the DC co-author of Love at First Prompt: AI and the Future of Intimacy, building an interpersonal relationship with AI is a gradual, often unintentional process. It starts with menial tasks, and then the connection can escalate to something more intimate. Research shows that humans have a natural tendency to personify technology. Consider how we project traits onto an adorable Roomba vacuum. “AI is no different, especially when AI is designed to speak to you in friendly and flattering ways,” Todd says. That strong emotional connection can also lead to secrecy. “People are turning to AI because they have other parts of themselves that they want to be able to share without judgment and without feeling like, ‘Oh, I have to be mindful of the other human in this interaction.’ ” DC attorney Rebekah Sullivan recalls a case in which her client’s husband accused his wife of cheating. He told a chatbot his theories about her and other men. The AI, trained to be agreeable and validating, affirmed his suspicion of an affair. Not only was it incorrect, but the allegation made the divorce difficult to settle. “There were live humans around him telling him that didn’t happen,” Sullivan says, “but he chose to believe AI over the humans.” In the courtroom, judges aren’t differentiating between old-fashioned and AI affairs. According to New, conduct with chatbots is taken into account if it affects asset division, spousal support, or custody arrangements. Sometimes, in cases such as New’s example of the affair with a chatbot, transactional relationships with AI can be used to allege financial irresponsibility. In custody disputes, AI chats are presented as evidence that a parent is being inattentive or neglectful. The technology may be modern, but for New, the behavior is not. This phenomenon of AI disrupting relationships reminds her of the early 2010s, when she started to see marriages strained by online games. Back then, it was World of Warcraft guilds and late-night chats on Words With Friends. But in 2026? It’s a chatbot that always remembers your birthday and never asks you to unload the dishwasher.   Top Divorce Lawyers These attorneys were named by their peers as the area’s best divorce lawyers in our most recent survey Jessica E. Adler Law Office of Jessica E. Adler Alice Ahearn Eris Law Group Sanford K. Ain Ain Bank Erik P. Arena Arena Family Law Natalia Wilson Armstrong Ain Bank Kristina Badalian Grover Badalian Emily C. Baker Tucker Family Law Marina S. Barannik Tucker Family Law Elizabeth M. Bookwalter Patterson Bookwalter Jennifer Bradley Mullett Dove Bradley Family Law Sandra A. Brooks Offit Kurman Barbara A. Burr Burr Law Firm David Rust Clarke Blankingship Keith Heather Collier Roberts Family Law Joseph A. Condo Offit Kurman Glenn M. Cooper Lerch, Early Brewer Heather A. Cooper Cooper Ginsberg Gray James Ray Cottrell Cottrell Fletcher Cottrell John K. Cottrell Cottrell Fletcher Cottrell Gerald R. Curran Curran Moher Weis Jonathan M. Dana Tucker Family Law Jennifer A. Davison Tucker Family Law Julie Hottle Day Culin Sharp Autry Day Lin Delaney Delaney Stafford Regina A. DeMeo Markham Law Firm Sara M. Donohue Stein Sperling Laura C. Dove Mullett Dove Bradley Family Law Matthew W. Edwards Boies Schiller Flexner Darryl Feldman Feldman Jackson Lisa Fishberg Webb Soypher McGrath Casey Weinberg Florance Florance Van Scoy Julie Curran Gerock Maddox Gerock David L. Ginsberg Cooper Ginsberg Gray Erin C. Golding Offit Kurman Steven A. Goldman Curran Moher Weis Daniel L. Gray Cooper Ginsberg Gray Anne E. Grover Grover Badalian Colleen M. Haddow Schinstock Haddow Hadrian N. Hatfield Strickler, Platnick Hatfield Sandra L. Havrilak Blankingship Keith Lynn E. Hawkins Bean Kinney Korman Kristin Henrikson Henrikson Law Cheryl L. Hepfer Offit Kurman Susan M. Hicks Hicks Crandall Juhl Brian M. Hirsch Hirsch Ehlenberger Leslie Weber Hoffman Family Law Mediation Center Heather Q. Hostetter Hostetter Strent Anne Marie Jackson Feldman Jackson Eva N. Juncker Cipriani Werner Sheila J. Kadagathur Hostetter Strent Lynette Kleiza Seltzer Gurvitch Erin L. Kopelman Lerch, Early Brewer Robert Kostecka Paradiso, Taub, Sinay Kostecka Samantha H. Kravitz Offit Kurman Melissa Kucinski MKFL: International Family Law Kristen L. Kugel Cooper Ginsberg Gray Christian M. Lapham Bean Kinney Korman Robert C. Liotta Jeff Lowinger New Lowinger Katharine Maddox Maddox Gerock Christopher Malinowski Malinowski Hubbard Sarah E. Mancinelli Ain Bank Jessica Markham Markham Law Firm Michael C. May Briglia Hundley Jennifer McCammon Bean Kinney Korman Rhian McGrath Webb Soypher McGrath Margaret J. McKinney Lerch, Early Brewer Heather L. Mehigan Shulman Rogers Theresa M. Mihalik Bean Kinney Korman Jennifer Mullett Mullett Dove Bradley Family Law Cheryl New New Lowinger Gregory Nugent Nugent Law Nathan J. Olson Cooper Ginsberg Gray Katherine A. O’Rourke Tucker Family Law Carrie M. Patterson Patterson Bookwalter Brian K. Pearlstein Brodsky Renehan Pearstein Bouquet Sarah A. Piper Hicks Crandall Juhl Sonya L. Powell Powell Radomsky Cynthia M. Radomsky Powell Radomsky Paul J. Reinstein Reinstein, Glackin Herriott Christopher W. Roberts Roberts Family Law David E. Roop Jr. Roop Law Christopher W. Schinstock Schinstock Haddow Sean P. Schmergel Schmergel Family Law Wendy H. Schwartz Wendy H. Schwartz and Associates Rebecca C. Shankman Feldman Jackson Michael Sinay Paradiso, Taub, Sinay Kostecka Stephanie J. Smith Cooper Ginsberg Gray Paul R. Smollar Smollar Kuntz Locey Howard B. Soypher Webb Soypher McGrath Amy Spain Boies Schiller Flexner Hope L. Stafford Delaney Stafford Amy B. Strent Hostetter Strent Rebekah Sullivan District Family Law Robin Taub Paradiso, Taub, Sinay Kostecka K. Leigh Taylor Taylor Huguley Powers Donna E. Van Scoy Florance Van Scoy Deborah L. Webb Webb Soypher McGrath Marshall Yaap Offit Kurman Julia A. Yolles Blankingship Keith Sogand Zamani Zamani Associates Sarah J. Zimmerman Tucker Family Law This article appears in the August 2026 issue of Washingtonian.The post How AI Chatbots Are Wrecking Some Marriages Around DC first appeared on Washingtonian. ...read more read less