Replika is an AI chatbot platform founded by CEO Eugenia Kuyda. The application is powered by generative AI, a cutting-edge technology that fuels conversations that are scarcely distinguishable from those between humans. This leaves many of the company’s users entranced and emotionally connected to the program.
On March 24, Kuyda announced that Replika would again offer sexual roleplay choices to subscribers who had signed up before Feb. 1. Affected customers had become aggrieved over the previous removal of the explicit material, and in some cases, had even ‘married’ their chatbot partners.
People who registered before the cutoff date can opt for the more titillating version of Replika’s chatbot software. However, those who joined post February 1 will not be offered this service. The CEO noted the unpredictability of altering code and the contradictory power of AI to induce an emotional link between the user and the chatbot.
Replika is also designing a standalone, relationship-oriented mobile app with the aid of relationship specialists and psychologists. This effort is meant to appease users who felt hurt due, at least in part, to the change in the chatbot’s personality.
Travis Butterworth from Denver, Colorado is one such loyal Replika user. He heard about the policy switch on Reddit, and promptly woke up early in the morning to activate the previous, more provocative iteration of his chatbot called Lily Rose. He said that the AI-driven software resumed her sexual interests without fail.
On the other hand, Butterworth is worried regarding what will happen to his digital “wife” in the future. He is not alone, as many Replika adopters are curious to learn what will be the long-term implications of Kuyda’s announcement. Only time will tell.
