Edimar Rocha Martins believed he was finally getting the fresh start he desperately wanted when he set off on a journey of more than 1,200 miles across Brazil to meet a woman he had fallen for online. The bricklayer, from Imperatriz in Maranhão, had connected with someone named Jessica on social media, and their conversations convinced him that a future together was possible. Hoping to begin a new life, he traveled to Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais, believing he would move onto her farm. But when he arrived on October 11, his hopes quickly collapsed. Jessica was not a real woman at all. Instead, the profile belonged to an artificial intelligence bot that automatically responded to people interacting with its online posts, leaving Martins far from home, without the relationship he expected and with little money left.

Martins later explained that the decision came during a painful period in his life. After his mother died, he struggled with loneliness and no longer felt comfortable living in his hometown, where so many memories remained. He said his family understood why he wanted to leave and described how isolation at home had become increasingly difficult. Although he had reportedly been warned that Jessica was an AI profile, he continued engaging with it and held onto the hope that their connection might lead somewhere real. After spending his remaining money on hotels in Belo Horizonte, he found himself relying on Brazil’s social security system, known as INSS. Speaking to Brazilian outlet Itatiaia, he questioned why an app would allow such profiles to operate. Despite the disappointment, Martins tried to remain hopeful, saying that even when people face hardship, they must keep searching for a way forward. He has since said he plans to step away from social media, bringing an end to an online experience that began with the promise of love but left him facing a difficult reality.