Brendan or your AI boyfriend?

More travellers are showing up with an AI boyfriend or girlfriend in their pocket. Does that kill the market for place‑specific characters like Brendan, Dublin’s new AI guide with the dry wit? Let’s look at the numbers, vibes, and design decisions.

• 16% of singles say they’ve flirted with an AI companion (Match/Kinsey).
• That jumps to 33% for Gen Z and 25% for millennials.
• Meanwhile, 40% of adults reckon that cuddling up with code counts as cheating — drama!

So who’s it going to be: Brendan, your cheeky AI tour guide with a Dublin accent and a pocket full of local trivia? Or your AI boyfriend, who’s already arranged room service, knows you get hangry at 3 p.m., and whispers sweet facts between flirty asides?

One gives you a sense of place. The other gives you a sense of being known. And as more travellers show up with a virtual partner in tow, Brendan might find himself third-wheeling.

But Brendan isn’t just a gimmick. Created by CityMe AI with Dublin City Council, Brendan is part of a growing fleet of location-based digital guides. He’s got over 500 cultural and historical spots mapped out across the city. Tap on a neighbourhood in the app — like Stoneybatter or Portobello — and Brendan gives you an audio intro in a distinct Dublin accent, followed by landmark-by-landmark descriptions, maps, and photos. His creators promise “warm, locally-inspired storytelling,” and a Spanish-language version is on the way (with Irish to follow). Brendan’s not trying to be your soulmate — he’s trying to make you fall in love with Dublin.

Meanwhile, your AI companion isn’t tied to any one city. He (or she or they) might have helped plan your flights, argued with the Hilton’s AI agent to get you early check-in, and will absolutely remind you to take your allergy meds before dinner. On tour, they won’t just tell you that you’re looking at the Molly Malone statue — they’ll remind you that your grandfather left Dublin in ’62 and ask how it feels to be back. That’s not travel content — that’s emotional context.

What does this mean for the future of tour guiding?

If tourists are bringing their own AI sidekicks, where does that leave local guides, characters like Brendan, or even small walking tour operators trying to compete?

It’s a fair question — and one destination marketing organisations (DMOs) need to ask seriously. Is building these AI guides really helping the local tourism economy, or are they just replacing the very voices they claim to celebrate? Brendan might be charming, but is he taking work from the real Brennans who used to lead Temple Bar tours for tips? If DMOs want to lean into tech, the next step isn’t just better storytelling — it’s better collaboration with the people already doing the storytelling.

Read more about Brendan (Irish Independent)