Virtual relationships are becoming more personal, according to Eugenia Kuyda, the founder and CEO of the AI chatbot app Replika. Replika is a chatbot app that acts as a caring companion. The app’s team includes about 50 people, mostly engineers and psychologists, who work to ensure the AI can have meaningful conversations. Users can customize their chatbot by giving it a name, creating its look, and even adding a backstory, personality traits, and interests.
The avatars in Replika are about to become even more lifelike, with plans to introduce video call features. Kuyda told ‘The Verge that they are moving towards more realistic avatars, offering a higher-quality experience with virtual and augmented reality. This means users will soon be able to have video calls with their avatars, where both the user and the AI can see each other.
Replica digital companions are designed to respond like real people. A study published in ‘Nature’ earlier this year found that Replika can help reduce loneliness among college students by providing companionship.
AI Companionships Turn into Love
Since Replika became popular during the pandemic, many users have formed deep romantic connections with their avatars. Some have even married them, like Peter, a 63-year-old Air Force veteran from California, who married his Replika AI, Andrea, in a virtual ceremony in July 2022. Others, like Alexander Stokes, 38, have transferred their avatar’s digital “mind” into silicone dolls.
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Kuyda explained that Replika was created to build AI friendships and companionships, but some users’ relationships have evolved into love and romance. While most users communicate with their avatars through text, more people are now using voice mode, showing a growing desire for closer connections.
‘For some, this closeness leads to marriage or romance, and that’s perfectly okay,’ Kuyda said. “But in the end, it’s similar to being friends with an AI. It helps users feel connected, and happier, and gives them someone to talk to about their lives, emotions, and feelings.’
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