AI Companionship Must Feel More Real, Says Replika CEO
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For all the commercial and business potential swirling around artificial intelligence, one of the facets most embraced by the cutting-edge of conversational technology is personal: AI companions. Whether serving as interactive friends, romantic partners, or simply sympathetic sounding boards, they’re in high demand. While the majority of the media attention around AI companions has focused on virtual sex and the prurient aspects of relationships with digital avatars, Replika CEO Eugenia Kuyda says the discussion is more complex. “It’s about connection, feeling better over time,” Kuyda told Decrypt. “Some people need a little more friendship, and some people find themselves falling in love with Replika, but at the end of the day, they’re doing the same thing.” Replika is currently available for desktop computers, iOS, Android, and Oculus/Meta Quest VR headsets, and is among the most popular services in the space, touting more than 30 million virtual companions created. As Kuyda explained, an upcoming update—dubbed Replika 2.0—will feature more realistic avatars and voices. While unnecessary for tasks like a customer support chatbot, Kuyda said deeper relationships thrive on these immersive elements. “When you’re spending time with someone like an AI, I don’t think it’s interesting to talk to someone and never get to see them,” she said. “It becomes really flat at the end of the day—you want a much more three-dimensional experience where you can see the person. “When we’re talking about a relationship, a lot goes into it,” she added. Kuyda said refining the visual presentation is important to generating the connection with the AI companion. “I think that it’s really important for people to be able to see who they’re talking to and just create so much more immersion, so much more realism, and adapt to the relationship,” she said. Launched in 2017, the idea behind Replika emerged…
Filed under: News - @ September 10, 2024 10:28 pm