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Zach Braff is not dating an AI chatbot.
The “Scrubs” star, 50, took to social media on Thursday to address the viral theory and explain how the rumor may have gotten started.
“I’m not dating a chatbot,” Braff began in a post to his Instagram Stories. “I can’t believe I have to type these words.”
He continued, “It is a storyline in an upcoming ep of Scrubs. Maybe it came from that? Not sure. But not me.”
Braff signed off on his message with “love” from “the guy not dating his chatbot.”
However, the “Garden State” star returned to the platform moments later after learning that the bizarre rumor first gained momentum in an episode of Jenny Slate, Max Silvestri and Gabe Liedman’s “I Need You Guys” podcast from December.
“I had no idea until tonight (because I’m not on TikTok) that these folks were the origin of this?” he wrote.
“I feel like now is a good time to be kind to people,” Braff added alongside a screenshot of Kumail Nanjiani, who appeared as a guest during the Dec. 16 podcast episode in question.
As the “Scrubs” alum noted, the rumor that he was dating an AI chatbot began as a blind item on the “I Need You Guys” podcast late last year.
Silvestri, 43, said that the unidentified actor “brings the chatbot with him” to different places, at which point Nanjiani, 47, asked whether the person was “A-list.”
“As near A-list as TV can get you,” Silvestri responded.
“From my understanding, the little info I’ve heard is that there is a self-awareness, but in kind of like: ‘Yeah, sorry that you’re not on board with the future,’” Silvestri explained before texting the name to his co-hosts.
Reps for Braff, Slate and Nanjiani didn’t immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment. Reps for Silvestri and Liedman couldn’t be reached.
Braff reprised his iconic role as Dr. John “J.D.” Dorian for the “Scrubs” revival that premiered on Feb. 25.
He joined fellow “Scrubs” alums Donald Faison (Dr. Christopher Turk) and Sarah Chalke (Dr. Elliot Reid) for the nine-episode 10th season, as well as newcomers Vanessa Bayer (Sibby) and Joel Kim Booster (Dr. Eric Park).
As for Braff’s actual love life, he was reportedly linked to musician Frances Whitney in 2024 after the pair were spotted enjoying dinner together in West Hollywood.
Before that, the “Good Person” director dated Florence Pugh, 30, from 2019 to early 2022.
