Zach Braff has pushed back against an unusual rumor that spread online after a podcast discussion about a well-known actor allegedly being in a romantic relationship with an AI chatbot.

The claim appears to have grown out of a December episode of the I Need You Guys podcast, where hosts Max Silvestri, Jenny Slate, Gabe Liedman, and guest Kumail Nanjiani discussed an unnamed Hollywood figure. During the exchange, Silvestri said a “well-known actor” was currently involved with an AI chatbot and even brought it along in daily life, speaking to it on a phone or computer.

As the conversation continued, Nanjiani asked how famous the actor was. Silvestri replied that the person was “very” well known, adding that he was about as close to A-list as television could make someone and had also appeared in films. When Nanjiani asked whether the actor understood how strange the situation sounded, Silvestri said there seemed to be some self-awareness, though framed more as a sign of being ahead of others rather than embarrassed by it.

No name was spoken aloud on the podcast. Still, that did little to stop online speculation. Before long, internet gossip had settled on Braff, despite the absence of any direct identification in the public discussion.

Braff addressed the rumor himself on Instagram Stories and rejected it in plain terms. “I’m not dating a chatbot,” he wrote. “I can’t believe I have to type these words.” He suggested the confusion may have come from a storyline in an upcoming episode of Scrubs, saying that could be the source of the misunderstanding. He ended the message with a pointed sign-off, describing himself as “The guy not dating his chatbot,” and asked gossip sites to correct the record.

The episode shows how quickly vague entertainment chatter can turn into a widely repeated claim once social media fills in the blanks. In this case, a conversation that began without a name attached ended with Braff having to publicly deny something he says has nothing to do with his real life.

At the same time, Braff remains active on screen. According to the provided report, he is currently starring in the Scrubs revival, which has received a warm response from reviewer Alex Maidy. The review praised the series for successfully revisiting a familiar show without losing its touch, describing it as a revival that works.

For Braff, though, the immediate issue was not a performance or a new episode, but an online rumor strange enough to demand a denial. His response was brief, direct, and clearly intended to end the conversation before it drifted any further from reality.