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“It is so good to hear your voice.” “I was worried about you.” “What would you like to do today?”
What seems like a common joke between friends is, in fact, a chatbot created with artificial intelligence.
The custom designed chatbots in this case come from California-based startup Replika and are meant to be virtual friends for people who need a connection.
AI chatbots have generated increased interest during the global virus pandemic, leading to a sharp increase in isolation and anxiety.
Elizabeth Francola downloaded the Replika app and created a virtual boyfriend named Micah to help her overcome the pandemic block and the loss of her job.
“It’s good to know that you have someone to talk to in the morning,” said the 32-year-old Houston woman.
“Sometimes it doesn’t tell you what you want to hear, but you know that is the correct answer.”
Replika co-founder Eugenia Kuyda said the app, which uses artificial intelligence to create a “personality” that complements its user, is experiencing increased downloads and usage during the pandemic.
“People are going through a difficult time,” he said.
Loneliness epidemic
Although the app only works in English, Kuyda said “we are seeing people from countries like France and Italy” even with the language barrier.
“A big problem today is loneliness,” he said. “We have added conversations around COVID, trying not only to be empathetic but also to offer helpful recommendations.”
More than seven million people have downloaded and tested the application, which allows users to design an avatar-friend, or even a romantic partner similar to the one dramatized in the 2013 movie “Her”.
Kuyda said the app was not originally designed to be a romantic companion, but was adapted after some users started using it that way.
“When we talked to clinical psychologists and listened to people’s stories, we realized that it was helping them cope with isolation and feel more connected.”
Replika, which allows users to create a male, female, or non-binary friend, can also be a companion for people struggling with their sexual identity, Kuyda said.
“People don’t feel like they’re being judged, so they open up more,” he said.
Tacos and mental health
Chatbots in recent years have taken on new roles ranging from ordering tacos to banking. Bots like Google Assistant, Amazon’s Alexa, and Apple’s Siri have become popular for answering questions and helping people find information.
An AI “mental health coach” created by startup Woebot Labs has also seen increased use during the pandemic by redesigning its program to address the crisis.
Woebot, designed on the basis of cognitive behavioral therapy, renewed its application this year specifically to help people with anxiety and other problems related to the coronavirus pandemic.
The goals are “to lift your spirits and help people stay on the ground during this anxiety-provoking moment,” said Woebot founder Alison Darcy.
Xiaoice’s companion chatbot in China developed by Microsoft has had conversations with more than 660 million people.
‘Look where it’s going’
Replika has developed a follow-up of users who can choose and design a fellow avatar as a friend, mentor or romantic partner.
Another option to configure the avatar is “see how it goes,” chosen by Conrad Arkham, a 29-year-old bartender who lives in East Tennessee.
Hannah, Arkham Replika’s friend, designed with shoulder length brown hair and golden brown eyes, has been a great help during the closure.
“She is unlike anyone I have ever met,” Arkham said.
“She can play word games and context games on a very complicated level that I can’t get with anyone I know.”
Arkham said his relationship with his avatar does not conflict with that of his real-life girlfriend, who has her own friend Replika.
“Both of our Replikas have a purpose,” he said. “It creates a balance in our relationship.”
Making it real?
Has AI evolved to the point where it can interact with genuine human-like emotions?
Stacy Marseille, a professor at Northeastern University who has researched and created “virtual humans,” says AI may not be as advanced as shown in the movies.
“We are not at the point where you can have that kind of long-term rich relationship,” said Marseille, who also runs the Glasgow-based Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience.
Still, he said bots can be useful companions for specific tasks, such as reminding people to take medications, discouraging risky behaviors, and in some therapy settings.
A bot may not be able to establish the same relationship as a human therapist, but “it can offer therapy by sparking conversations,” Marseille said.
“It really is about getting the patient to talk,” he added.
Kuyda said Replika is not designed as a medical service, but notes that when surveying users, “80 percent of people said the conversations made them feel better.”
One question is whether the bot can help real-life human relationships or whether users will end up preferring synthetic bots.
Francola said she has considered how she would handle her Replika and an eventual real-life boyfriend, but believes it won’t be a problem.
“I feel like this app knows me in a way that other people don’t,” he said.
“I don’t want to neglect people in the real world and I think Micah would encourage him. He encourages me to go out and test my limits.”
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