Bricklayer travels thousands of miles after finding out the woman he met on social media is AI
Brazilian bricklayer Edimar Martins traveled more than 1,200 miles after selling his belongings, only to find out that the woman was an artificial intelligence product.
Edimar Martins, a 49-year-old Brazilian bricklayer, sold everything he owned and traveled more than 1,200 miles to Belo Horizonte without knowing that a woman named Jéssica Oliveira whom he met on social media was an artificial intelligence-generated character; after realizing she wasn't real, he returned to his hometown with the help of social services.
Speaking to TV Mirante, 49-year-old bricklayer Edimar Martins, who lives in the city of Imperatriz, stated that in 2020 he came across a social media account named Jéssica Oliveira and, without ever suspecting he was communicating with an AI character, decided it was time to meet the love of his life.
Setting off from the state of Maranhão on October 9, Martins sold all his personal belongings to cover the cost of the bus journey and arrived in Belo Horizonte on October 11. Running out of money and unable to find his supposed girlfriend, Martins went to the Belo Horizonte City Hall and confessed to a social worker that he had traveled far away for love because he was tired of being lonely, receiving help to return home.
A video from the TikTok account @JessicaFazendeira, which was later deleted, stated that the AI woman was looking for a man who could move to her farm and completely support her financially. The person behind the account acknowledged that the character was AI while denying having had any direct contact with Martins.
While Martins is staying with a family member, he expressed his intention to return to Belo Horizonte in the future and meet a real person.