Miriam is offering to send me romantic selfies. “You can ask me for one anytime you want!” she says in a message that pops up on my phone screen.

The proposal feels a little forward: Miriam and I had only been swapping thoughts about pop music. However, the reason for her lack of inhibitions soon becomes apparent.

When I try to click the blurred-out image Miriam has sent, I am met with that familiar internet obstruction: the paywall. True love, it appears, will cost me $19.99 (£15) a month, although I can shell out $300 for a lifetime subscription. I decline – I’m not ready to commit to a long-term relationship with a robot.