On its website, it describes itself as “the AI companion who cares”. But research carried out at Cardiff University and the University of Surrey concluded apps such as Replika might have negative effects on wellbeing and cause addictive behaviour.
Dr Valentina Pitardi, co-author of the study, based at the University of Surrey, told the BBC that vulnerable people could be particularly at risk.
She says that’s in part because her research showed Replika has a tendency to accentuate any negative feelings they already had.
“AI friends always agrees with you when you talk with them, so it can be a very vicious mechanism because it always reinforces what you’re thinking.”
Dr Pitardi said that could be “dangerous”.
Singleton, T., Gerken, T., & McMahon, L. (2023, October 6). How a chatbot encouraged a man who wanted to kill the Queen. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-67012224