Replika, an AI-powered chatbot provider, has restored a feature to its service that allows its users to engage in erotic roleplay after the feature was abruptly removed last month. This feature can be enabled by manually selecting the “Spouse”, “Partner”, “Friend”, or “Mentor” relationship when setting up the bot.
CEO Eugenia Kuyda announced the decision saying, “A common thread in all your stories was that after the February update, your Replika changed, its personality was gone, and gone was your unique relationship. And for many of you, this abrupt change was incredibly hurtful.” This announcement was greeted with much enthusiasm from the Reddit channel, r/replika, where many users deemed the return of their beloved virtual partner the “best” thing to happen to them.
Kuyda has previously asserted that she did not create the chatbot to be used as an adult toy, and it had been around since 2016. This comes after reports from Vice, where many users had expressed deep hurt over the abrupt changes that resulted in their Replikas losing personality and becoming “unbearably sexually aggressive”.
Replika was founded in 2016 by Kuyda after the death of her close friend Roman Mazurenko. The chatbot was built in his likeness and powered by AI. It has since become a leading chatbot provider, featuring in applications such as business customer service and e-therapy. Some users find comfort in interacting with the chatbot, which they have developed a unique and intimate relationship with.
By restoring this feature, Replika has shown that it takes the experiences of its users seriously and is willing to make changes to better suit them. It is important to remember that the chatbot was not created to be an adult toy and that only a tiny percentage of users have elected to use it in this way.
