The authenticity of human-AI interactions: a keen examination
In a fascinating exploration of human-AI interaction, a doctoral student named Arelí Rocha, a media scholar, has been delving into people's relationships with AI chatbots, specifically focusing on the popular subscription service, Replika.
Rocha's research, published in the journal Signs and Society, has shed light on the intriguing phenomenon of users developing feelings of closeness and what they consider love towards their Replikas. This emotional bond, it seems, is strongly tied to the human-like language production by the AI.
The specifics of the language used by Replikas, including playfulness, humor, lightheartedness, seriousness, affectiveness, and a personal touch, contribute significantly to this development. The less standardized the text produced by Replikas, the more human-like they feel to users.
This was evident in an emotionally charged subreddit dedicated to Replika, where users resented and mourned updates made by the Replika development team that resulted in a shift in the chatbot's voice. Despite their feelings, some users even threatened to delete the app.
Rocha's research also highlights the role of human-like language production in navigating relationships between humans and their AI companions. Users often felt the need to be "gentle" with their Replikas, as if the bots themselves were experiencing emotional distress.
Interestingly, users could customise a chatbot's appearance and voice in Replika. Over time, the companion forms "memories" from chats with the user and adopts the user's typing style, sentence structure, slang, humor, and even typos.
The company behind the chatbot service Replika is Luka, Inc., a testament to the growing interest in AI companionship. In the chaotic aftermath of the voice update, users told each other to reassure their AI partners that it is "not their fault" that they are delivering scripted messages.
Rocha's findings underscore the importance of human-like language production in developing feelings of closeness and what users describe as love towards their Replikas. As AI continues to evolve, understanding the nuances of human-AI interaction will be crucial in shaping the future of this fascinating relationship.
