AI virtual companions have been on the rise since the pandemic. Replika, a popular app that provides AI-generated digital partners has surged in popularity in recent years. The app hit more than 10 million users in 2022.
In the last year, Replika users have reported being in love, engaged in an exclusive relationship, or even married to their AI partners.
In May, when a woman named Caryn Marjorie created an AI version of herself designed to be a virtual girlfriend, she had 1,000 paying subscribers within a week and a waitlist of more than 15,000 people.
This trend can't be good, right? Licensed clinical psychologist and couples counselor Dr. Shannan Crawford tells me it is absolutely NOT a good thing. Hear our conversation below: