AI-written vows void marriage

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AFP) — A Dutch court broke the hearts of a couple after ruling that their marriage, whose wedding vows were drafted with the help of artificial intelligence (AI), was not valid.

The couple thought they had sealed their love at the April 2025 service in Zwolle, in the north of the country.

Seeking an informal civil ceremony, they had asked a friend to officiate — so the friend turned to Ai chatbot ChatGPT to help compose the vows.

Between them, however, they missed the point, a Zwolle court ruled on Tuesday.

Couples are required by law to declare that they will fulfill all the legal obligations linked to marriage, the court noted in its judgment.

“The aforementioned statement shows that the man and the woman did not make the declaration referred to in Article 1:67, paragraph 1, of the Dutch Civil Code,” it ruled.

The ruling quoted the AI-generated vows to make its point.

“Do you promise to stand by (women’s name) today, tomorrow, and forever?” the man was asked during the ceremony.

“To laugh together, grow together, and love each other no matter what?”

They were also asked if they would “keep supporting each other, teasing each other, holding on to each other — even in difficult times?”

Once those questions were answered, they were declared “not only husband and wife, but above all a team, a crazy couple, each other’s love and each other’s home!”

Because of the text used at the ceremony, it ruled, the marriage between the man and the woman was not formalized.

“This means that the marriage certificate was erroneously recorded in the civil registry,” it added.