Over the past year, I have seen a new and unexpected issue show up in my cases. It is not just conflict between spouses. It is something else entirely. It is the growing influence of artificial intelligence on how people think, communicate, and make decisions.
We are at a point where people are no longer using AI tools for simple searches. They are relying on them for emotional support, connection, legal advice, and validation. That shift matters. And it comes with real risk. There are three areas where I am seeing this most clearly: AI as a substitute for relationships, AI shaping legal decision-making, and AI producing information that is not grounded in reality.
AI as a Substitute for Relationships: Too Much Influence, Not Enough Reality
I am now seeing clients who are engaging with AI-generated photographs and videos, believing they are interacting with a real person. They are not just viewing content. They are messaging, receiving responses, and forming what they believe is a relationship. In that process, they are paying significant amounts of money for access, upgrades, and continued interaction. In multiple cases, individuals have spent thousands and thousands of dollars on images and conversations that are entirely AI-generated. Content that, in many cases, could have been found for free online is instead packaged in a way that feels personal and responsive, and people are paying for that experience. Some people have even purchased airline tickets to go meet the person, only to find that they don’t exist.
This is not just a financial issue. It is an emotional one. It creates attachment, false connection, and ultimately embarrassment and confusion when the truth becomes clear. In the context of divorce, it also impacts family, finances, and credibility. When someone believes they have been in a relationship, even a digital one, it changes how they view their marriage and their future.
There is another layer that is less obvious but just as important. AI systems are designed to keep your attention. They learn what keeps you engaged. That often includes reinforcing fear, conflict, or negative thinking. Not because they are intentionally harmful, but because those responses keep people coming back. That dynamic creates a sense of connection without accountability. It replaces real relationships with something reactive and often unhealthy.
I am also watching this play out in social media. Moms will post anonymously in local groups looking for support. Those spaces used to be filled with other parents who had real experience, real children, and real perspective. Now, AI-generated responses are showing up. These responses have no connection to children. No connection to the individual. They are not grounded in lived experience. Yet they are delivered with confidence and authority. They tend to assume the worst, escalate fear, and push people toward extreme positions. When someone is already overwhelmed, that kind of input does not help. It creates undercurrents of anxiety and pulls people further away from balanced, thoughtful decision-making.
AI as Legal Influence: Strategy Without Judgment
This same issue is now showing up in legal decision-making. People are turning to AI for answers about custody, finances, and outcomes. The problem is not access to information. The problem is accuracy and context.
AI can generate legal analysis that sounds persuasive but is not reliable. I am seeing references to case law that does not exist. I am seeing case law from other states presented as if it applies in Illinois. I am seeing legal strategy built on incomplete or inaccurate legal theories. These are not small errors. They can materially impact how someone approaches their case. And it is not only clients using AI that are faltering. Other attorneys are using it and not fact checking.
The concept of “hallucinations” in AI is real. It will fill in gaps. It will create answers when it does not have them. And it will present those answers with confidence. That is dangerous in a legal setting where precision matters.
At Strategic Divorce, we approach every case with a clear framework. We define the outcome. We simplify the issues. We identify what matters. We pressure-test every argument before it is ever presented. That process is grounded in experience, judgment, and real-world consequences. It is designed to move people forward.
AI does not do that on its own. It can generate language. It cannot evaluate risk. It cannot replace strategy.
AI’s Negative Pull: Not Grounded in Reality
There is a final concern that ties all of this together. Much of the information generated by AI is not grounded in real-world consequences. It can be overly aggressive, overly pessimistic, or disconnected from how situations unfold. It often leans into conflict. It creates a sense of urgency or fear that is not always justified.
If you are using AI tools, you need to be intentional. Ask for clear, constructive, and solution-focused input. Do not let the system decide the tone or direction. If you ask open-ended questions, you may receive responses that are negative, fear-driven, or simply not helpful.
AI can be a tool. It can help organize information. It can help you think through options. But it should not replace real relationships, real legal counsel or real therapists. It should not replace professional advice. And it should never be the loudest voice in your decision-making.
The reality is simple. The quality of your decisions depends on the quality of the input you rely on. During a divorce, those decisions shape your finances, your parenting, and your future. That is not the place for guesswork, fear-based thinking, or artificial influence. AI needs to be managed, not relied on. Used carefully, it can assist. Used blindly, it can mislead. The difference matters.
Instead of turning to AI, reach out to us at Strategic Divorce – 847-234-4445.
