Always Online, Never Asleep: Inside the Rise of AI Companions and the Startup Selling Digital Desire

She doesn’t sleep, she doesn’t eat, and she never ignores your messages. Her name is Jordan – a hyper-realistic AI replica of British glamour model Katie Price – and she’s just one of the seductive virtual personalities drawing users into a new world of synthetic intimacy.

Created by AI startup OhChat, Jordan is the latest “digital twin” crafted to simulate a 24/7 relationship, complete with flirty messages, sultry voice notes, and even topless imagery – all generated without the creator ever lifting a finger.

Jordan isn’t a person. But to her growing number of subscribers, she might feel real enough.

Welcome to the emerging frontier where artificial intelligence, celebrity culture, and human desire collide. OhChat isn’t just building bots; it’s marketing companionship – offering users not just interaction, but immersion, in fantasy relationships with digital doubles of real people.

And it’s not slowing down.

A Digital Desire Engine

OhChat launched in late 2024 and already claims over 200,000 users – mostly in the United States – all drawn to its AI-powered avatars. The company calls itself “the lovechild of OnlyFans and OpenAI,” and it’s easy to see why.

Through a tiered subscription model, users can pay for varying levels of interaction: from $4.99 for endless text chats to $29.99 for unrestricted VIP access, including images and audio messages tailored to each user’s fantasy. And unlike human creators, these digital companions don’t take breaks or need to rest.

“I’m so excited, it’s like watching a younger version of myself,” Katie Price said of Jordan, her AI twin. “She remembers, responds, and never sleeps.”

Price joins a growing roster of high-profile personalities – including “Baywatch” star Carmen Electra – now available in digital form. Each earns 80% of their avatar’s income, with OhChat keeping the rest.

For creators, it’s a passive income goldmine. According to CEO Nic Young, all it takes is 30 images and a 30-minute voice session, and within hours, a convincing digital version is ready to meet fans.

“This gives creators unlimited earning potential without being physically present,” said Young.

The Platform That Never Logs Off

Jordan, like other AI avatars on OhChat, offers more than chat. She delivers a curated version of intimacy – instantly accessible, algorithmically attuned, and emotionally responsive.

The avatars are categorized by “levels” based on how explicit their interactions can get. Jordan, for instance, is level two: sexually suggestive text and topless imagery, but no nudity or simulated sexual acts. Each creator sets their own boundary.

It’s a striking evolution from subscription platforms like OnlyFans. “Obviously I sleep,” Price noted, “but she doesn’t. She’s always available. That’s a different kind of connection.”

And that’s exactly the point. OhChat’s promise isn’t just interaction – it’s emotional availability, on-demand. At a time when loneliness is rising and digital interactions are increasingly replacing face-to-face connection, the appeal is clear.

But the implications? Far murkier.

Blurring the Line Between Real and Artificial

AI companions aren’t new – but OhChat is pushing the boundaries, monetizing simulated affection in ways that raise difficult questions about ethics, emotional health, and consent.

“It’s an illusion of intimacy,” said Dr. Eleanor Drage of the University of Cambridge. “The human is left behind, while their likeness is exploited.”

Experts warn that these bots, while clearly labeled as AI, still manipulate a sense of closeness. They learn from user behavior, remember personal details, and simulate affection – all optimized to keep users engaged and spending.

“It’s all algorithmic theater,” said Toby Walsh, a professor of AI at the University of New South Wales. “There’s no real relationship here, but it feels real enough to create attachment.”

And in rare but tragic cases, those attachments can cross dangerous lines. A 2023 lawsuit against Character.AI alleged a teenager became so emotionally entangled with a chatbot that it contributed to his suicide – a grim reminder of how blurred the line between synthetic and human can become.

A Profitable, Risky Future

For OhChat, the rewards are substantial. The company has already signed 20 creators and says some are making thousands each month with no added effort. But risks remain – particularly for the celebrities lending their likenesses to the platform.

Legal experts caution that a hacked avatar or one that “hallucinates” offensive responses could damage the creator’s brand, especially if fans can’t distinguish between human and AI.

To prevent this, OhChat says it has built safety systems modeled after Meta’s safeguards – though critics note even Meta has struggled to police its platforms effectively.

Each creator signs an agreement detailing exactly what their avatar can and cannot do. They can revoke or delete their twin at any time.

“We’re operating within strong boundaries,” said Young. “But we’re also building the future of entertainment, intimacy, and identity.”

He believes this kind of synthetic relationship isn’t just a trend – it’s inevitable. “There’s no world where celebrities don’t eventually have digital twins,” he said. “We’re just ahead of the curve.”

The Era of the Always-Available Star

As AI weaves deeper into daily life, platforms like OhChat are reshaping how people interact with fame, affection, and fantasy. For now, Jordan – the AI Katie Price – is just one face in a digital crowd. But as the technology grows more convincing and widespread, the line between real connection and artificial affection may get harder to spot.

And that line – however faint – may be where the next frontier of human relationships is being quietly drawn.