Is There Any History of Human Relationships Being Replaced by Robots?

CNN's John Sutter asks if there is any history of technology replacing a human in a human relationship. He and co-host Edward McCaffery try to think of real life examples where meaningful human relationships have been replaced by robots. In places with no relationships, the a t m is simply a matter of efficiency; in places with relationships, those relationships will factor into house. If sex robots are to overpower us and cause us to choose mechanical relationships over fu human ones, it would be a historical first.