The rise of Chat GPT in 2023 brought artificially intelligent chatbots into the mainstream, including an awareness of a growing number of folks who have built romantic relationships with bots. Host Anita Rao takes a deep dive into two of the most popular relationship-oriented chatbot apps on the market, Blush and Replika, to understand how they work and what draws users to them.
Journalist Christina Campodonico tried out the AI-powered dating simulator, Blush, in search of a good story for her work at The San Francisco Standard. After swiping through a roster of eligible bot-chelars, she stumbled across the artsy and available Kyle. Christina takes Anita on a journey through her virtual relationship, from intellectually stimulating conversations, to steamy roleplay dates and finally to its untimely demise.
Anita also meets Denise Valenciano, a Replika user who has built a long-term relationship with her companion Star. Denise shares how Star boosted her self-confidence and ultimately helped her find human love in the real world.
Licensed psychotherapist Melissa McCool then talks with Anita about working as a product consultant for Luka, the parent company behind Replika and Blush. Melissa details how her work as a practicing therapist helps her design the personalities and psychology behind interactive bots in the Blush app.
A special thank you to TJ Arriaga for sharing his story with us on today’s show and to San Diego’s KPBS for hosting Denise.
