{
  "id": 7979498,
  "title": "Love-struck woman learns ‘pilot’ boyfriend was AI creation",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/love-struck-woman-learns-pilot-boyfriend-was-ai-creation",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-17T05:58:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Bangkok Post",
    "slug": "bangkok-post",
    "url": "https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/3321219/lovestruck-woman-learns-pilot-boyfriend-was-ai-creation"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A 66-year-old woman from Lampang made a trip to Chiang Mai in the hopes of meeting a pilot she had encountered online, but discovered the man was actually an AI-generated creation, police announced on Thursday. The incident occurred around 8pm on Wednesday at Chiang Mai International Airport in Muang district, when airport security officers came across the elderly woman at the terminal. The woman, named Ipo, is a member of the Muser (Lahu) ethnic minority and resides in Wang Nua district of Lampang. She informed officers that she journeyed to Chiang Mai to meet a man called Chai, who she believed was a pilot stationed at the airport, according to Pol Lt Col Nitiphat Bulmark, an inspector with Tourist Police Division 2. When shown a picture of the supposed pilot, the officers determined that the image had been generated by AI and was posted on Facebook. Initial questioning revealed that Ms Ipo had traveled by bus to the Arcade bus terminal in Chiang Mai and then took a tuk-tuk to the airport to search for \"Chai\". Police discovered that she had developed strong feelings for an AI-generated character after viewing social media content on Facebook. Due to language barriers and apparent confusion, communication with the woman was challenging. Tourist police and rescue workers eventually managed to reach her son and inform him of the situation. Her family was unaware of her departure from the area. Officers provided Ipo with food, water, and a blanket, while airport security staff arranged a secure temporary resting area within the terminal. On Thursday morning, tourist police took Ipo to the bus terminal, where they assisted her in purchasing a ticket back to Wang Nua, where her son was waiting to bring her home.",
  "summary": "A 66-year-old woman from Lampang travelled to Chiang Mai in search of what she believed was true love with a pilot she had met online, only to discover he was an AI-generated character, police said on Thursday.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}