Virtual boyfriends and girlfriends could become commonplace.

Joaquin Phoenix enjoys a day at the beach with his artificial girlfriend in "Her." Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

35% of Americans surveyed think it's likely avatar girlfriends and boyfriends will be commonplace.

Considering most relationships exist, at least partly, from behind the screens of our phones, it comes as no surprise that many believe chatbots and virtual reality could some day replace real-world lovers.

Future technologies might be capable of rendering an avatar with the personality of a deceased person based on their writings, social media accounts, and other artifacts.

Others are not expecting the plot of "Her" to play out so soon. Nearly half of survey respondents say avatar girlfriends and boyfriends are not likely by 2036.