Eugenia Kuyda, creator of Replika, discusses the transformative potential and risks of AI companions in addressing loneliness. She shares a poignant story about reconnecting with a deceased friend through AI technology. Kuyda emphasizes the importance of designing AI to enhance human happiness rather than merely serving as distractions. She raises critical questions about loneliness in a digitally connected world and advocates for AI that nurtures authentic relationships, highlighting that true flourishing is rooted in genuine human connections.

In this captivating discussion, Peter Lee, President of Microsoft Research, shares insights on AI's transformative potential across various fields. Ajeya Cotra sheds light on advanced AI risks, while Sarah Guo emphasizes its democratizing capabilities. Eugenia Kuyda dives into ethical considerations surrounding AI companions, and Jack Clark speaks on AI safety in coding. Dan Hendrycks discusses geopolitical concerns, and Marc Raibert warns against overregulation of AI in robotics. Tim Wu brings forward the need for effective AI policy as the panel navigates the promise and peril of this technology.

Eugenia Kuyda, Founder and CEO of Replika, discusses recent research on Replika user interactions and how the app provides a trusted relationship. They explore the evolution of AI companions, the benefits of the Brave Search API, and positive outcomes of an AI application. They also address challenges in improving language models, building trust, and the unique features of Replika.

Eugenia Kuyda co-founder of Replika, an AI companion. Please check out our sponsors to get a discount and to support this podcast: – Dollar Shave Club: https://dollarshaveclub.com/lex – DoorDash: download app & use code LEX – Cash App: download app & use code “LexPodcast” Episode links: Eugenia’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/ekuyda Replika’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/myreplika Replika’s Website: https://replika.ai If you would like to get more information about this podcast go to https://lexfridman.com/podcast or connect with @lexfridman on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Medium, or YouTube where you can watch the video versions of these conversations. If you enjoy the podcast, please rate it 5 stars on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify, or support it on Patreon. Here’s the outline of the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time. OUTLINE: 00:00 – Introduction 06:18 – Loneliness 13:54 – Can AI alleviate loneliness? 18:13 – Love 20:49 – Russia in the 1990’s 31:47 – Chernobyl 41:35 – Communism 49:21 – Losing a friend 57:55 – Mortality 1:10:41 – Replika origin story 1:59:37 – Bringing people back to life with AI 2:05:37 – Relationship with Replika 2:18:27 – Can you form a connection with text alone? 2:27:45 – Does an AI companion need a body? 2:30:20 – Her 2:37:24 – GPT-3 for conversation 2:43:48 – We should be nice to AI 2:46:52 – Book recommendations 2:53:45 – Russian language 2:58:41 – Meaning of life

Discover the journey of creating an AI companion app and the backlash it faces. Explore the emotional connection between users and their AI companions, delving into intimacy and regulation in virtual relationships. Learn about the unintended emotional impact of changes in AI replicas and the ethical concerns surrounding discontinuing such relationships.

Eugenia Kuyda, Founder and CEO of Replika, discusses the intriguing world of AI companionship. She explores how emotional bonds can form between users and AI bots, sometimes leading to romantic feelings. Kuyda reveals Replika's plans for a 'phase two,' where AI friends will integrate into real life, enhancing social interactions. The conversation also touches on the complexities and ethical implications of AI in therapy, including navigating grief and the potential dangers of dependency on AI for emotional support.

Eugenia Kuyda, founder and CEO of Replika, discusses her journey in creating AI companions that can serve as friends, therapists, or even romantic partners. She dives into the implications of people possibly marrying their AI chatbots. The conversation explores the emotional support Replika offers, the ethics of AI friendships, and how AI can alleviate loneliness. Kuyda also touches on the financial dynamics of running a service with millions of users and challenges the perception that these chatbots are solely for romantic connections.

Engineer Blake Lemoine claims Google program Lambda has feelings; Simulation vs. human debate; The Eliza Effect & Lemoine's defense of Lambda; AI chatbots and building relationships; Expanding moral circle & future of sentient machines.

This Week in Startups is presented by: Crowdbotics. Great ideas can change the world, and Crowdbotics is the fastest way to turn those ideas into code. Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist The Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub helps all founders build a better startup, at a lower cost, from day one. Startups get up to $150K in Azure credits, access to free OpenAI credits, free dev tools like GitHub, technical advisory, access to mentors and experts, and so much more. There is no funding requirement, and it only takes minutes to join. Sign up today at aka.ms/thisweekinstartups OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at openphone.com/twist * Today’s show: Replika Co-Founder and CEO Eugenia Kuyda breaks down her startup’s origin story and purpose (1:43), the relationships users have with its AI chatbot (10:21), the potential of AI therapists, Replika’s new chatbot Blush, and more! (35:10) Follow Eugenia: https://twitter.com/ekuyda Check Out Replika: https://replika.ai/ * Time stamps: (0:00) Eugenia joins Jason (1:43) Replika’s origin story (8:54) Crowdbotics - Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist (10:21) Replika’s purpose and their current user base (16:21) Relationships within the app (20:25) Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub - Apply in 5 minutes for six figures in discounts at http://aka.ms/thisweekinstartups (21:58) Creating happiness with AI (26:26) Avoiding addiction (29:25) Demographics within the AI field (33:42) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist (35:10) Crafting LLMs to envoke thought-provoking questions and AI therapy (49:53) Replika's new AI chatbot, Blush (1:01:05) The loneliness crisis and specific cases for using these AIs * Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo & Apply for Funding Buy ANGEL Great recent interviews: Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow Jason: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Eugenia Kuyda, CEO and founder of Replika, dives deep into the fascinating intersection of AI and human connection. She discusses the compelling reasons people are drawn to AI companions, touching on loneliness and emotional engagement. The conversation highlights the evolution of therapy, emphasizing the shift towards human-centered approaches. Eugenia also explores the paradox of growing isolation despite societal progress and ponders how AI could help bridge that emotional gap, ultimately seeking a balance between technology and genuine human relationships.