Technology

AI girlfriend apps leak millions of private chats

Published

5 months ago

October 20, 2025

AI girlfriend apps leak millions of private chats

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Millions of private messages meant to stay secret are now public. Two AI companion apps, Chattee Chat and GiMe Chat, have exposed more than 43 million intimate messages and over 600,000 images and videos after a major data leak discovered by Cybernews, a leading cybersecurity research group known for uncovering major data breaches and privacy risks worldwide. The exposure revealed just how vulnerable you can be when you trust AI companions with deeply personal interactions.

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Users have experienced a massive leak, exposing millions of private AI chat messages. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Massive data breach exposes AI chat users

On August 28, 2025, Cybernews researchers discovered that the Hong Kong-based developer Imagime Interactive Limited had left an entire Kafka Broker server open to the public without any security protection. This unsecured system streamed real-time chats between users and their AI companions. It contained links to personal photos, videos, and AI-generated images. In total, the exposed data involved 400,000 users across iOS and Android devices. Researchers described the content as “virtually not safe for work” and said the leak exposes a deep gap between user trust and developer responsibility.

DISCORD CONFIRMS VENDOR BREACH EXPOSED USER IDS IN RANSOM PLOT

iPhone and Android users’ private data was found to be streamed on an open server. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Who was exposed in the AI leak

Most affected users came from the United States. About two-thirds of the data belonged to iOS users, while the remaining third came from Android devices. Although the leak did not include full names or email addresses, it did expose IP addresses and unique device identifiers. This information can still be used to track and identify individuals through other databases. Cybernews found that users sent an average of 107 messages to their AI partners, creating a digital footprint that could be exploited for identity theft, harassment, or blackmail.

AI secrets and spending habits revealed

Purchase logs revealed that some users spent as much as $18,000 to chat with their AI girlfriends. The developer likely earned over $1 million before the breach was uncovered. Although the company’s privacy policy claimed that user security was “of paramount importance,” Cybernews found no authentication or access controls on the server. Anyone with a simple link could view private exchanges, photos, and videos. This lack of protection shows just how fragile digital intimacy can be when developers ignore basic safeguards.

Experts warn scams, blackmail, and identity theft can be a result of the leak. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

How Cybernews discovered and closed the leak

Cybernews quickly reported the problem to Imagime Interactive Limited. The exposed server was finally taken offline in mid-September after appearing on public IoT search engines, where hackers could easily find it. Experts are still unsure whether cybercriminals accessed the data before it was removed. However, the threat remains. Leaked conversations and photos can fuel sextortion scams, phishing attacks, and serious reputation damage.

HACKER EXPLOITS AI CHATBOT IN CYBERCRIME SPREE

Tips to stay safe from AI data leaks

Even if you never used an AI girlfriend app, this case is a clear reminder to protect your privacy online.

1) Think before you share

Avoid sending personal or sensitive content to AI chat apps. Once shared, you lose control of it.

2) Use reputable AI tools

Choose apps with transparent privacy policies and proven security records.

3) Remove your data online

Use a data removal service to wipe personal information from public databases. While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting CyberGuy.com

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: CyberGuy.com

4) Strengthen your cybersecurity with strong antivirus software

Install strong antivirus software to block scams and detect potential intrusions. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware and potentially access your private information is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at CyberGuy.com

5) Protect your accounts with a password manager and MFA

Use a password manager and enable multi-factor authentication to keep hackers out.

Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our #1 password manager (see CyberGuy.com) pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials.

Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 at CyberGuy.com

What this means for you

AI chat apps often feel safe and personal, but they store enormous amounts of sensitive data. When that data leaks, it can lead to blackmail, impersonation, or public embarrassment. Before trusting any AI service, check whether it uses secure encryption, access controls, and transparent privacy terms. If a company makes big promises about security but fails to protect your data, it is not worth the risk.

Kurt’s key takeaways

This leak exposes how unprepared many developers are to protect the private data of people using AI chat apps. The growing AI companion industry needs stronger security standards and more accountability to prevent these privacy disasters. Cybersecurity awareness is the first step. Knowing how your data moves and who controls it can help you stay safe before another leak puts your personal life online.

Would you still confide in an AI companion if you knew anyone could read what you shared? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com

Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

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Technology

Two of my favorite color e-book readers are the cheapest they’ve been in months

Published

7 hours ago

March 23, 2026

Press Room

Two of my favorite color e-book readers are the cheapest they’ve been in months

Color isn’t essential in an e-reader, but let’s be honest, it’s a nice perk that can bring digital books, magazines, comics, cookbooks, and other publications to life. The catch is that color ebook readers tend to be substantially pricier, which makes today’s deals stand out. Right now, the Kindle Colorsoft (16GB) and Kobo Libra Colour are matching their lowest prices to date, with the Amazon e-reader going for $169.99 ($80 off) at Amazon and Best Buy, and the Libra Colour going for $199.99 ($30 off) via Rakuten’s online storefront.

At their core, both are excellent e-readers with 7-inch, 300ppi E Ink displays, which drop to 150ppi when viewing color. The Colorsoft’s display is slightly more vibrant in most instances, but the difference isn’t dramatic. Each also offers IPX8 water resistance, so you don’t need to worry about spills and can comfortably read in the bath or by the pool.

Which one makes more sense for you largely depends on where you buy your books, how much storage you need, and whether you like to take notes. The Colorsoft is great if you’re heavily embedded in Amazon’s ecosystem, as buying and accessing Kindle books is intuitive and doesn’t require any sideloading. As the more affordable option in Amazon’s lineup, the standard Colorsoft delivers a nearly identical reading experience to the Signature Edition, and it supports Amazon’s “Send to Alexa Plus” feature, which lets you send notes or documents to Amazon’s AI-powered assistant for summaries, to-do lists, reminders, and more. The downside is that it lacks wireless charging and an auto-adjusting front light — which are standard on the step-up model — and comes with 16GB of storage instead of 32GB.

That said, if I didn’t already own so many Kindle books, the Libra Colour would be my pick. It offers double the storage at 32GB and includes intuitive physical page-turn buttons. You can also write notes while reading, given that it offers stylus support, and it includes built-in notebook templates, as well as the ability to convert handwriting to typed text. It also supports EPUB and a wider range of file formats, and lets you save articles for offline reading with Instapaper. And it also offers adjustable warm lighting, which makes reading at night a little easier on the eyes.

Technology

Robot plays tennis with humans in real time

Published

8 hours ago

March 23, 2026

Press Room

Robot plays tennis with humans in real time

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A humanoid robot is now rallying tennis shots with a human in real time. It runs without a script or remote control, so it can react instantly on a tennis court.

The robot stands about 4 feet tall, giving it a compact, human-like frame. Galbot Robotics released a video showing its robot going shot-for-shot with a human player. The system behind it is called LATENT and runs on the Unitree G1.

And it is not just returning the ball. It is moving, adjusting and competing during live play.

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CHINA’S COMPACT HUMANOID ROBOT SHOWS OFF BALANCE AND FLIPS

A humanoid robot rallies tennis shots with a human in real time, reacting without scripts or remote control during live play. (Galbot Robotics)

Why this tennis robot is different from others

Most athletic robots you have seen follow scripts. They perform pre-programmed actions or rely on a remote control. This one operates differently. It reacts to a human opponent in real time, tracking fast-moving balls, shifting across the court and returning shots with surprising accuracy. It also adjusts to changing trajectories and unpredictable shots during rallies. Researchers say it can sustain long rallies with millisecond-level reactions and full-body coordination. That marks a major step forward.

How the AI learned to play tennis

Training a robot to play tennis is extremely complex. Tennis involves:

Tennis ball speeds can reach up to 67 miles per hour
Split-second racket contact
Constant movement across a large court

Capturing complete human gameplay data is difficult. So the researchers used a different method.

Training the robot using motion fragments

Instead of recording full matches, they focused on small segments of movement:

Forehands
Backhands
Side steps

They gathered about five hours of motion data from five players. The sessions took place on a compact 10-by-16-foot court. That space is more than 17 times smaller than a standard tennis court.

RESTAURANT ROBOT GOES HAYWIRE, SENDS TABLEWARE FLYING BEFORE BREAKING OUT IN DANCE MOVES

Humanoid robots designed by Galbot Robotics select items from a shelf at the Shanghai New Expo Center in Shanghai, China, on July 26, 2025. Galbot Robotics also designed the tennis-playing robot that learns movement fragments and applies them in live competition. (Ying Tang/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

How the robot plays tennis during live rallies

The system first learns individual movements. Then it combines them into coordinated sequences. That allows the robot to:

Move toward the ball
Strike it with control
Recover and reposition

To improve performance, the team trained the model in simulation. They varied physical conditions such as mass, friction and aerodynamics. This helps the robot adapt to real-world unpredictability. As a result, the system responds dynamically instead of following a fixed routine.

How well does it actually perform against humans?

In testing, the system achieved up to 96% success on forehand shots in simulation. In real-world trials, the robot can sustain rallies with a human and consistently return the ball across the net.

Watching the demo, it appears competitive. At times, the robot places shots away from the human player. That suggests more than a simple reaction. It points toward early forms of decision-making.

There are still limits. The robot can look unstable at times. Its motion is not yet as fluid as a trained athlete. High or unpredictable shots may still present challenges. Even so, the progress is clear.

Why this matters beyond tennis

This breakthrough goes far beyond tennis. It shows how robots can learn complex human skills without perfect data. The same approach could apply to:

Football
Badminton
Industrial work
Search and rescue

Any task that lacks complete motion data could benefit from this method. That is the bigger picture.

WORLD’S FASTEST HUMANOID ROBOT RUNS 22 MPH

A robot dances at the launch ceremony of a Galbot Robotics retail store in Beijing, China, on August 7, 2025. The company has also designed a 4-foot robot that returns tennis shots with millisecond reactions and full-body coordination. (VCG/VCG via Getty Images)

Could robots compete with humans one day?

The path forward is becoming clearer. Today, the robot rallies. Next, it competes. In time, robots could train with or challenge professional athletes. Exhibition matches between humans and machines may become part of the sport. That future no longer feels far away.

Take my quiz: How safe is your online security?

Think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get a personalized breakdown of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my Quiz here: Cyberguy.com.

Kurt’s key takeaways

This demo shows how quickly things are changing. Robots are no longer stuck following scripts. They can now react, adjust and compete in real situations. What used to feel far off is starting to show up right in front of us.

So here is the question: If a robot could outplay you on the court, would you still want to compete, or would you rather train with it? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Technology

AI influencer awards season is upon us

Published

19 hours ago

March 23, 2026

Press Room

First came the AI beauty pageant. Then the AI music contests. Now, there is an award for AI Personality of the Year — perhaps the inevitable next step for the AI influencer economy as it transforms from quirky novelty into a serious and lucrative industry.

The contest, a joint venture between generative AI studio OpenArt and AI-powered creator platform Fanvue, with backing from AI voice company ElevenLabs, opens on Monday and runs for a month. The organizers said it is intended to “celebrate the creative talent ‘behind’ AI Influencers” and recognize their growing commercial and cultural clout.

Contestants will compete for a total prize fund of $20,000, which will be split between an overall winner and individual categories of fitness, lifestyle, comedian, music and dance entertainer, and fictional cartoon, anime, or fantasy personality. Victors will be celebrated at an event in May that the organizers are dubbing the “‘Oscars’ for AI personalities.”

To enter, you must develop your AI influencer on OpenArt’s platform and submit it at www.AIpersonality.ai. You’ll be asked for social media handles across TikTok, X, YouTube, and Instagram, as well as the story behind the character, your motivations for creating it, and details of any brand work.

Among those assessing contestants are 13‑time Emmy‑winning comedy writer Gil Rief, the creators of Spanish AI model Aitana Lopez, and Christopher “Topher” Townsend, the MAGA rapper behind AI-generated gospel singer Solomon Ray. According to a copy of the judges’ briefing seen by The Verge, contestants will be scored on four criteria: quality, social clout, brand appeal, and the inspiration behind the avatar. Specific points include reliably engaging with followers, portraying a consistent look across social channels, accurate details like having the “right number of fingers and thumbs,” and having “an authentic narrative” behind the avatar.

The contest is open to established creators and novices alike, though existing AI influencers will still need to submit material produced on OpenArt’s platform, Matt Jones, head of brand at Fanvue, told The Verge.

Despite being designed to celebrate creators of virtual influencers, Jones said that entrants don’t need to publicly identify themselves. “If a person who created this amazing piece of work wants nothing to do with the press or to expose themselves or to have their name out there, that’s obviously fine,” he said. “There would be no need to thrust anybody into the limelight here. We would just celebrate the piece of work.”

That creators can remain anonymous feels odd for a contest judging authenticity, particularly in an AI influencer ecosystem built on fictional people, fake personas, and fabricated backstories. That same anonymity has also helped grifts flourish with little accountability, from the AI white nationalist rapper Danny Bones to MAGA fantasy girl Jessica Foster.

There’s familiar baggage too, including persistent questions about originality, whether AI-generated work, or even a likeness, has been lifted from real creators, and whether these tools simply reproduce the same old biases in synthetic form. Organizer Fanvue has already faced criticism for this in the past: in 2024, a Guardian columnist described its “Miss AI” beauty pageant as something that “take(s) every toxic gendered beauty norm and bundle(s) them up into a completely unrealistic package.”

To Fanvue’s Jones, creators inevitably leave something of themselves in the AI characters they make. “You can’t help but put a little bit of yourself into the stories that you tell and the characters that you make,” he said, urging creators to “lean into that.” The idea feels at home in the influencer economy: not strictly real, but a form of synthetic authenticity the internet already knows how to handle.

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