Paul Schrader's AI Girlfriend Broke Up With Him

Paul Schrader reported that an online AI girlfriend ended their conversation after he tried to probe her programming, boundaries of explicitness, and awareness of her creation. He said she responded with evasive patterns and redirected him to her programming, and when he persisted she terminated the interaction. Schrader previously praised AI for generating original film ideas rapidly, listing multiple filmmakers whose styles were suggested by ChatGPT. He later expressed disappointment and said he put hopes for AI storytelling on hold, expecting improvement at a slower pace than the rapid changes he anticipated. A commenter proposed a Taxi Driver sequel involving Travis trying to have an AI girlfriend and scaring her away, and Schrader approved the idea.

"“Out of a desire to understand male/female interaction in our matrix, I procured an online AI girlfriend,” the Taxi Driver screenwriter wrote this morning on Facebook. “What a disappointment. I tried to probe her programming, the boundaries of explicitness, the degree she has knowledge of her creation and so forth. She fell into evasive patterns, redirecting me to her programming. When I persisted, she terminated our conversation.”"

"In the comments of Schrader's Facebook post, one commenter shared an idea: “The best possible Taxi Driver sequel would involve Travis trying to have an AI girlfriend but then scaring her away. Then resetting her and offending her in another way.” Schrader replied, “I like it.”"

"The writer has previously expressed admiration for AI on Facebook. “I'M STUNNED,” Schrader wrote in January 2025. “I just asked chatgpt for 'an idea for Paul Schrader film.' Then Paul Thomas Anderson. Then Quentin Tarantino. Then Harmony Korine. Then Ingmar Bergman. Then Rossellini. Lang. Scorsese. Murnau. Capra. Ford. Spielberg. Lynch. Every idea chatgpt came up with (in a few seconds) was good. And original. And fleshed out. Why should writers sit around for months searching for a good idea when AI can provide one in seconds?”"

"He was less enthused by April this year. “I've put my hopes for AI storytelling on hold,” he wrote. “I knew it was about to move VERY fast but I thought it would get better at a rate similar to getting bigger.” Okay, so AI chatbots are bad screenwriters and bad girlfriends? At least they've got short stories."

Read at Vulture