UK Cheating Statistics – Can AI Solve Cheating?
11/01/2024
Infidelity is a part of relationships that a lot of people hide. But it impacts individuals across the UK. And with something so difficult to understand, sometimes you need to turn to the numbers.
We’re looking at the UK’s cheating statistics to shed light on the motivations and patterns behind cheating, and what can be done about it.
One of the main considerations is the possibility of using artificial intelligence (AI) to address the emotional disconnection and dissatisfaction that fuels cheaters. But does AI stand a chance against online dating and cheating websites that flood the internet?
Cheating Statistics UK
- 1 in 5 British adults have had an affair.
- The majority of affairs in the UK last between one and six months.
- Women are 50% less likely than men to have to end an affair because they have been found out by their partner.
- 61% of people who had an affair went back to their partner, and 58% reported that it made them appreciate what they had.
- Only 44% of Brits consider having an emotional affair to be cheating.
- A 40% majority of people say they cheated because they felt flattered by the attention.
- Only half of the people who had an affair didn’t cheat again.
How Many People Cheat in the UK?
When considering how many people have affairs, we need to look at the data, A survey of 1,660 adults across England, Scotland and Wales revealed that 1 in 5 British adults have had an affair.
And although the male to female ratio of people having affairs was fairly even (20% for men and 19% for women), 22% more men admit to thinking about having affairs.
Statistically, will cheaters cheat again?
Looking at the data, there is a 50/50 chance that people who have had an affair will cheat again. This is marginally more likely for men than women, but there is only an 8% difference.
Here are the slightly depressing odds, and it’s certainly not a bet we want to be placing:
- 1/1 or 50% chance – They will only cheat once
- 3/1 or 25% chance – They will have two affairs
- 4/1 or 20% chance -They will have three or more
- 11.5/1 or 8% chance – They will have more than five
However, if you consider each instance of cheating within the affair, the statistics look a bit more bleak. 82% of people said that their affair lasted for more than a week, and 5% were still in ongoing affairs at the time of the study.
Why do people in the UK cheat?
It is important to address the root of people’s reasons for cheating. With an increase in loneliness since the pandemic, there are patterns of decreased connection among people in the UK. And this is reflected in the reasons people give for cheating in their relationships too.
UK women’s top three reasons for cheating:
- I felt flattered by the attention – 44%
- I felt emotionally deprived in my relationship – 43%
- I was dissatisfied with my sex life – 20%
UK men’s top three reasons for cheating:
- I felt flattered by the attention – 35%
- I was dissatisfied with my sex life – 32%
- I felt emotionally deprived in my relationship – 29%
AI’s Role in Addressing Infidelity
Cheaters are already looking for a solution online
Like everything else we need in life, people who want to cheat in their relationships are turning to Google for the answer. The UK make up 23% of the global search volume for ‘How to have an affair’, with 450 people searching this every month in the UK.
And the answers are there. Alongside the usual dating websites and apps, there has been a growth in websites specifically aimed at people who want to cheat while in relationships. With 400 people searching ‘affair website’ every month in the UK.
The number of websites for people to connect and have affairs has grown significantly in the last few years. Here are the UK’s top choices:
| Top UK Cheating Sites | Average Monthly UK Search Volume |
| Illicit Encounter | 61,000 |
| Adult Friend Finder | 43,000 |
| Ashley Madison | 31,000 |
| Secret Benefits | 30,000 |
| Marital Affair | 2,800 |
| Heated Affairs | 700 |
Real AI tools that could help with a cheating partner
The need for attention and emotional connection was a top reason that both men and women cheated. And this is something that could be fulfilled by sophisticated AI that aims to create intimate and emotional connections with users that are akin to real romantic relationships.
And if you think the search rates for cheating sites are high, the global growth in romantic relationship focused AI tools has exploded in the past year. Some real examples of these are:
| Romantic Relationship AI Tools | What it Does | Search Volume in 2023 | Volume Growth in 2023 |
| Spicychat | Lets users create unique AI characters for uncensored and permissive communication. | 550,000 | +8600% |
| AI Girlfriend | Creates a realistic companion to simulate the experience of a romantic relationship. | 301,000 | +463% |
| GirlfriendGPT | Offers unique AI personalities including boyfriends and fictional characters that chat, speak and take selfies. | 301,000 | +5000% |
Can AI really help cheaters?
In a society grappling with evolving relationship dynamics, UK cheating statistics show serious underlying issues. But despite this, there is hope in AI-driven solutions. The surge in AI tools focused on emotional connection and romantic companionship could address some of the root causes of infidelity.
However, it can’t go unmentioned that the vast majority of these AI tools target heterosexual men. So any benefits gleaned from these will be harder to access for anyone seeking male or lesbian romantic attention and connections. This is already evident in the fact that ‘AI girlfriend’ is searched 13 times more than ‘AI boyfriend’ in the UK.
As AI companionship gains momentum in addressing relationship challenges, there’s also hope for addressing the roots of infidelity. However, bridging the gender gap in this technology is crucial for a more inclusive and balanced AI relationship landscape.
Sources
https://explodingtopics.com/topic/
https://d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/SunResults_150518_affairs_W.pdf
This article is intended as generic information only and is not intended to apply to anybody’s specific circumstances, demands or needs. The views expressed are not intended to provide any financial service or to give any recommendation or advice. Products and services are only mentioned for illustrative rather than promotional purposes