Zach Braff is addressing a persistent rumor that has circulated online: the idea that he is in a romantic relationship with an artificial intelligence chatbot. The actor, known for his roles in “Scrubs” and “Garden State,” took to his Instagram Stories on Thursday, March 12, to clarify his personal life and set the record straight.
The speculation regarding Braff and an AI girlfriend first gained traction in December 2025, stemming from an episode of the podcast “I Need You Guys.” During the episode, host Max Silvestri shared an anecdote about a “well-known actor” who was reportedly dating an AI chatbot.
Braff, clearly amused and somewhat exasperated by the rumor, directly refuted the claims. “I’m not dating a chatbot,” he wrote on his Instagram Story, accompanying the text with a screenshot from the podcast episode. He expressed disbelief that he even had to address such a topic, suggesting that the rumor might have originated from a storyline in an upcoming episode of his iconic show, “Scrubs.” “Maybe it came from that? Not sure. But not me,” Braff stated, signing off with a playful jab at gossip publications: “Love, The guy not dating his chatbot. Please update all gossip sites.”
In a subsequent slide on his stories, Braff further elaborated, explaining that he was unaware of the podcast being the source of the rumor. He mentioned that he doesn’t actively use TikTok, which may have contributed to his delayed awareness of the circulating story.
The Origin of the Rumor
The December 16th episode of the “I Need You Guys” podcast, hosted by Max Silvestri, Jenny Slate, and Gabe Liedman, featured actor Kumail Nanjiani as a guest. It was during this conversation that Silvestri introduced the anecdote about the actor involved with an AI chatbot.
Silvestri described the individual as a “well-known actor” who was “currently in a romantic relationship with his AI chatbot.” He further detailed that the actor would reportedly bring the chatbot along to various places and engage in conversations with it, likely through a phone or computer.
When pressed by the other hosts for more information, Silvestri characterized the actor as being “near A-list as TV can get you” and also noted that he had “done films.” Although Silvestri later texted the name to the group, Nanjiani’s response, as recounted by Braff, was, “Perfect! I will say, good description, not A-list.”
Jenny Slate, upon hearing the story, expressed concern about its public dissemination, stating, “we can’t put this on our podcast. It’s not nice.” Braff highlighted this particular comment in his Instagram story, adding his own sentiment: “I feel like now is a good time to be kind to people.”
A Host’s Response and Fan Speculation
Max Silvestri later responded to Braff’s social media post via his own Instagram story. He defended his original statement, asserting that he “never mentioned this man’s name in my life.” Silvestri also offered a humorous take on the situation, quipping, “Aren’t there more important stories in the world right now? Between tariffs and energy prices, the average American can barely afford to charge their girlfriend.”
The initial connection of Braff to the rumor wasn’t solely based on the “I Need You Guys” podcast. Earlier, in a February episode of Caleb Hearon’s podcast, “So True,” a similar story was discussed with guest Chris Fleming. While Fleming did not name the actor, he referred to him as “Mr. Tumnus,” a nickname he has previously used to refer to Zach Braff. This parallel discussion likely fueled fan speculation and contributed to the rumor’s spread.
A Look Back at Braff’s Past Relationships
Braff’s most recent public relationship was with actress Florence Pugh. The couple began dating in 2019, having initially connected on social media in 2018. Their professional collaboration extended to Braff’s short film, “In the Time It Takes to Get There.”
Their relationship, which lasted for a few years, ended quietly in early 2022. During their time together, they faced considerable public scrutiny, largely due to the 21-year age difference between them. Pugh was 24 and Braff was 45 when they first started dating.
Pugh addressed the public’s commentary on their age gap directly in an April 2020 Instagram reel, stating, “I am 24 years old. I do not need you to tell me who I should and should not love, and I would never in my life tell anyone who they can and cannot love. It is not your place.”
Braff’s previous romantic partners include actresses Mandy Moore, Shiri Appleby, and Taylor Bagley.
