THE REALITY ENGINE - HOW BRANDS CAN NAVIGATE NEW PLANES OF HUMAN CONNECTION

Summary from the TLDR Marketing newsletter

Tulpamancy and synthetic intimacy show how people are creating companions and relationships through imagination and AI, from Reddit communities building tulpas to users forming bonds with chatbots. These practices provide comfort, therapy, and connection, but also carry risks of manipulation and harm, as seen in cases linked to AI platforms. Trust in AI remains low, though use is growing among younger people who treat these interactions as real. Brands are beginning to explore similar dynamics through worldbuilding and attachment, raising questions about how far engineered intimacy can go before it undermines human agency.