Zach Braff has addressed speculation about him dating an AI chatbot. The 50-year-old actor took to his Instagram Story on March 12, 2025, to clarify that he is not involved with any AI. This rumor originated back in December 2025, following a discussion on the podcast “I Need You Guys.”
“I’m not dating a chatbot,” Braff stated, sharing a screenshot from the podcast. “I can’t believe I have to say this. It’s a plot for an upcoming episode of Scrubs. Maybe that’s where the confusion came from? I just don’t know. But I’m not. Love, the guy not dating a chatbot. Please update all the gossip sites.”
In another post, he mentioned he “didn’t realize until tonight” that the podcast sparked these rumors since he doesn’t use TikTok.
During the December 16 podcast episode, the hosts—Max Silvestri, Jenny Slate, and Gabe Liedman—were in conversation with Kumail Nanjiani when Silvestri mentioned knowing an actor with a chatbot girlfriend. “There’s an actor in a romantic relationship with a chatbot,” Silvestri said casually.
When asked for more information, Silvestri described the actor as “close to A-list in TV,” and also mentioned the actor’s film work. After texting the actor’s name to the group, Nanjiani responded, “Perfect!” though it was suggested not to air the discussion. Braff then captured that moment with a screenshot, indicating, “I think this might be a good time to be kind to people.”
Silvestri later defended Braff on his Instagram, humorously stating, “I’ve never said this man’s name in my life.” He pointed out that with everything happening in the world—like tariffs and energy prices—the story about Braff seemed trivial.
Initially, fans connected Braff to the story after a February episode of Caleb Herron’s podcast, where an unspecified actor was mentioned but without a name. Braff’s last known relationship was with actress Florence Pugh. They met online in 2018 and began dating in 2019, with Pugh later appearing in Braff’s short film.
The two were together for several years before separating in early 2022. Their 21-year age gap drew considerable scrutiny, with Pugh, then 24, and Braff, 45, addressing criticisms publicly.
“I’m 24 years old. I don’t need anyone telling me who to love,” Pugh remarked in an April 2020 Instagram post, pushing back against the judgment they faced. Braff has previously been linked to actresses like Mandy Moore, Shiri Appleby, and Taylor Bagley.
