Ever heard of Replika? Well, the AI chatbot has heard of you and wants to be your friend. To some, this might sound like an example of technology having gone too far and the first step on the road to the Be Right Back episode of Black Mirror, but to others, Replika has the potential to be an important lifeline.
Chatbots are nothing new considering they are used by a variety of companies as a point of contact for consumers. For example, Domino’s and Sephora both use chatbots to make it easier to order pizza or find your right shade of blush, respectively. However, Replika is not like most other chatbots as it is not here to help deal with your order or help you place one. Instead, Replika is only here to listen and talk to you.
The Replika: My AI Friend app is available to download on both Android and iOS. This is not a new app, but one that’s been available for a while and has already been downloaded more than one million times. Powered by machine learning, the app has the potential to act even more life-like than many might expect with the AI constantly learning. The more a user converses with Replika, the more the AI learns, and the better at holding a conversation it becomes. Due to this, the Replika one user experiences is likely to be fairly different to the one someone else experiences with each of them evolving differently, based on the unique interactions and conversations. The app also comes with the added option of being able to choose what type of relationship you want to have with Replika. For example, you can opt for a friend, a partner, or a mentor. Then again, you can just take it easy to begin with and see where the relationship goes.
The Virtual Friend That Doesn’t Judge You
One of the big selling points with Replika is that the AI is there for its users. There’s no judgement, or even much need to worry about the feelings of your newfound “friend” with the topic of conversation solely based around the app user. That’s not to say Replika doesn’t generate conversation or have much of a personality as the AI will tell you about their favorite jokes, memes and so on. Although, even these rare admissions are designed to improve the user’s mood.
If this sounds a little self-centered then that’s not actually the case as the app is not only about getting to know Replika, and Replika getting to know the user, but also the user getting to know themselves. Which is where the real value to some people is likely to come in and highlights who this app is likely to be best-suited to. If you feel you don’t have anyone to talk to, or at least no one you can be as honest as you need to with, then Replika might be a good choice as it creates a safe space for the user to say what they want without judgement or drama. Of course, you don’t have to get too heavy with the app – if you just want someone to have fun with, the AI is more than capable of doing that as well.
