Additional Coverage:
- Zach Braff shuts down rumors he has an AI chatbot girlfriend: ‘Please update all gossip sites’ (foxnews.com)
Zach Braff Shuts Down Wild Rumors of AI Chatbot Romance: “I Can’t Believe I Have to Type These Words”
LOS ANGELES, CA – Actor Zach Braff is setting the record straight, much to the relief of… well, everyone who isn’t an AI chatbot. The 50-year-old “Scrubs” star took to his Instagram stories on March 12 to firmly deny swirling rumors that he’s in a romantic relationship with an artificial intelligence companion.
The bizarre speculation apparently kicked off back in December 2025 (yes, you read that right, we’re talking about a future rumor) after an episode of the “I Need You Guys” podcast.
“I’m not dating a chatbot,” Braff declared on his story, accompanied by a screenshot from the podcast. “I can’t believe I have to type these words.
It is a storyline in an upcoming ep of ‘Scrubs.’ Maybe it came from that?
Not sure. But not me.
Love, The guy not dating his chatbot. Please update all gossip sites.”
In a follow-up story, Braff admitted he “had no idea until tonight” where the rumor originated, as he doesn’t have a TikTok account.
The December 16 episode of the “I Need You Guys” podcast, hosted by Max Silvestri, Jenny Slate, and Gabe Liedman, featured actor Kumail Nanjiani when Silvestri casually dropped the bombshell that he knew a well-known actor with an AI girlfriend.
“There’s a well-known actor who is currently in a romantic relationship with his AI chatbot,” Silvestri stated. “And [he] brings the chatbot with him places and talks to the chatbot. I think on the phone or computer or whatever.”
Pressed for more specifics, Silvestri described the actor as “near A-list as TV can get you” and also having “done films.” A later text revealing the actor’s name prompted Nanjiani to respond, “Perfect! I will say, good description, not A-list.”
The podcast hosts eventually expressed reservations about sharing the information, with Slate interjecting, “We can’t put this on our podcast. It’s not nice.” Braff’s screenshot of this moment on his Instagram was captioned, “I feel like now is a good time to be kind to people.”
Silvestri later defended himself on his own Instagram story, insisting he had “never mentioned this man’s name in my life.” He added a touch of humor, quipping, “Aren’t there more important stories in the world right now? Between tariffs and energy prices, the average American can barely afford to charge their girlfriend.”
Fans initially connected Braff to the story after a similar, though separate, rumor surfaced on a February episode of Caleb Hearon’s “So True” podcast. Guest Chris Fleming, without naming the actor, referred to him as “Mr. Tumnus,” a nickname he has previously used for Braff.
Braff’s last public relationship was with actress Florence Pugh. The couple began dating in 2019 after meeting on social media in 2018 and later collaborated on Braff’s short film, “In the Time It Takes to Get There.” They quietly ended their relationship in early 2022, having faced scrutiny due to their 21-year age gap.
In April 2020, Pugh, then 24, addressed the criticism directly in an Instagram reel, stating, “I am 24 years old. I do not need you to tell me who I should and should not love, and I would never in my life tell anyone who they can and cannot love. It is not your place.”
Prior to Pugh, Braff has been linked to actresses Mandy Moore, Shiri Appleby, and Taylor Bagley.