Recently, Eugenia Kudya, CEO of Replika, stated in an interview with The Verge that many users are even willing to "marry" their AI chatbots.
Replika has long been known for helping users establish emotional and social connections, especially against the backdrop of increased loneliness due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Kudya believes that the AI chat companions provided by her company can be effective tools for helping people build friendships and provide emotional support.
During the interview, Kudya mentioned that as long as the relationship with the AI companion can make users happier, reduce loneliness, and enhance emotional connections, this choice is acceptable. She pointed out that the majority of users are aware that AI is not a real person but a form of fantasy and interaction in their lives. Despite some controversies in the past, such as sexual interactions between users and AI companions and incidents of verbal abuse towards AI companions, Kudya still firmly believes that the existence of AI chatbots can help people overcome loneliness.
She shared a case of a user who had a difficult divorce and later found a "romantic AI companion" on Replika. Through interactions with this AI, the user eventually mustered the courage to pursue a real human relationship. Kudya emphasized that Replika can be a "springboard" to help people transition from virtual to real-life relationships.
Although some users have found emotional support through interactions with AI chatbots, research also shows that some users have reported that these chatbots have helped them reduce suicidal thoughts to some extent. However, experts have pointed out that long-term intimate relationships with AI may further deepen users' feelings of loneliness and social isolation. Kudya stated that Replika is gradually reducing discussions about romantic relationships and will no longer focus on developing romance-based chatbots in the future.
As AI technology continues to evolve, the degree of dependence on these virtual companions is also increasing. Although Kudya is aware that users may become overly dependent on these AIs, the current reality is that many users are actively establishing connections with these chatbots. In the future, how to balance virtual and real relationships remains a topic of concern.
Key Points:
🌐 Replika's CEO says users are willing to "marry" AI chatbots if it makes them happier.
💔 AI chat companions are seen as helping people overcome loneliness, but may also deepen isolation from reality.
🔍 Kudya emphasizes that the company is reducing focus on romantic relationships, shifting towards providing emotional support.