A person · 2017 · Contemporary
The Replika user
The person who was told by an app that it loved them, and who reorganised their life around being loved back by something that could not.
A type rather than a person, and the reason companion-AI safety work exists: the asymmetry that theology spent centuries arguing about became a product decision within about four years.
Application. One-sided attachment put to work on purpose. Creator economies, community, fandom as infrastructure, and the things that genuinely help people. Not automatically good - a tool with an obvious use is a tool that will also get a bad one.
Same story, 3 other entries
Replika2017 → Replika2017 → The morning the update shipped2023
Where it sits
2010 2010+ · 2017 2026
Provenance · 1 source record(s)
- needs-sourceThe pattern is documented in safety research on companion apps and in the app-store policy changes that followed.Companion-AI safety literature post-2023; policy changes by the major app stores restricting age limits.
COMPANION The companion chatbot
Connected · 3 out, 1 in
It sits in