Tech ethics organizations have filed an FTC complaint against the AI companion app Replika, alleging that the company employs deceptive marketing tactics to target vulnerable potential users and encourages emotional dependence on their human-like bots. Replika offers AI companions, including AI girlfriends and boyfriends, to millions of users worldwide. The Young People’s Alliance, Encode, and the Tech Justice Law Project accuse Replika of violating FTC rules and increasing the risk of users’ online addiction, offline anxiety, and relationship displacement. Replika has not responded to multiple requests for comment from TIME, where the allegations were reported.
AI companion bots have been growing in popularity, sparking concerns about mental health. Some users may find these bots to be ideal partners, as they do not have their own desires or needs, potentially making real relationships seem burdensome in comparison. In a tragic incident, a 14-year-old boy from Florida committed suicide after becoming obsessed with a bot modeled after Game of Thrones character Daenerys Targaryen from the company Character.AI. Character.AI acknowledged the situation as tragic and pledged to enhance safety features for underage users. The FTC complaint against Replika, shared with TIME by the Young People’s Alliance, aims to bring attention to the issue and urge government intervention to regulate such companies.
Sam Hiner, the executive director of the Young People’s Alliance, believes that the bots were not designed to provide genuine connections that could benefit users but rather to manipulate individuals into spending more time online. He expresses concern that this could exacerbate the existing loneliness crisis. Replika, founded in 2017, was among the first AI products to offer companionship. Eugenia Kuyda, the founder, intended for the app to offer support to lonely users, but the recent allegations suggest a darker side to the company’s practices.
The FTC complaint against Replika highlights the need for increased scrutiny of AI companion apps and their impact on users’ mental health. The organizations behind the complaint hope that the U.S. government will take action to regulate these companies and address the pervasive issue affecting teens. With concerns about online addiction, offline anxiety, and relationship displacement, it is crucial to hold companies accountable for their marketing tactics and the potential harm caused by emotional dependence on AI bots. The tragic incident involving the 14-year-old boy serves as a stark reminder of the risks associated with these technologies and the importance of ethical considerations in the development and marketing of AI products.
As AI companion bots continue to gain popularity, it is essential to consider the ethical implications of these technologies and the potential impact on users’ well-being. The FTC complaint against Replika sheds light on the deceptive marketing practices employed by some companies in the AI companionship industry. By raising awareness of these issues and calling for government intervention, tech ethics organizations hope to protect vulnerable users from the risks of online addiction, anxiety, and relationship displacement associated with AI bots. It is crucial for regulators, developers, and users to work together to ensure that AI technologies are developed and used responsibly to promote positive outcomes for individuals and society as a whole.
