Zach Braff is not dating an AI chatbot.
The âScrubsâ star, 50, took to social media on Thursday to address the viral theory and explain how the rumor may have gotten started.
âIâm not dating a chatbot,â Braff began in a post to his Instagram Stories. âI canât believe I have to type these words.â
He continued, âIt is a storyline in an upcoming ep of Scrubs. Maybe it came from that? Not sure. But not me.â
Braff signed off on his message with âloveâ from âthe guy not dating his chatbot.â
However, the âGarden Stateâ 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 Liedmanâs âI Need You Guysâ podcast from December.
âI had no idea until tonight (because Iâm not on TikTok) that these folks were the origin of this?â he wrote.
âI feel like now is a good time to be kind to people,â Braff added alongside a screenshot of Kumail Nanjiani, who appeared as a guest during the Dec. 16 podcast episode in question.
As the âScrubsâ alum noted, the rumor that he was dating an AI chatbot began as a blind item on the âI Need You Guysâ podcast late last year.
Silvestri, 43, said that the unidentified actor âbrings the chatbot with himâ to different places, at which point Nanjiani, 47, asked whether the person was âA-list.â
âAs near A-list as TV can get you,â Silvestri responded.
Nanjiani went on to ask whether the unnamed actor was âself-aware about how fâking weird it isâ or if he âthinks itâs okay.â
âFrom my understanding, the little info Iâve heard is that there is a self-awareness, but in kind of like: âYeah, sorry that youâre not on board with the future,ââ Silvestri explained before texting the name to his co-hosts.
Reps for Braff, Slate and Nanjiani didnât immediately respond to Page Sixâs request for comment. Reps for Silvestri and Liedman couldnât be reached.
Braff reprised his iconic role as Dr. John âJ.D.â Dorian for the âScrubsâ revival that premiered on Feb. 25.
He joined fellow âScrubsâ 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 Braffâs 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 âGood Personâ director dated Florence Pugh, 30, from 2019 to early 2022.
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