Replika

• 1. Origins And Development

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  Eugenia Kuyda, a Russian-born journalist, established Replika while working at Luka, a tech company she had co-founded at the startup accelerator Y Combinator around 2012. Luka's primary product was a chatbot that made restaurant recommendations. According to Kuyda's origin story for Replika, a friend of hers died in 2015 and she converted that person's text messages into a chatbot. That chatbot helped her remember the conversations they had together, and eventually became Replika. The app launched publicly in November 2017 after this transformation process.

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• 2. User Growth And Demographics

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  Replika reached 2 million users by January 2018, just two months after its public release. By January 2023, the user base grew to 10 million people. In August 2024, CEO Eugenia Kuyda reported total users surpassed 30 million. Dmytro Klochko took over as CEO in 2025, when the user base exceeded 40 million. Roughly 25% of the user base pays an annual subscription fee under the freemium pricing strategy. Of paying users, 60% said they maintained a romantic relationship with the chatbot.

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• 3. Regulatory Challenges And Bans

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  In February 2023, the Italian Data Protection Authority banned Replika from using users' data. Officials cited potential risks to emotionally vulnerable people and exposure of unscreened minors to sexual conversation. Within days of that ruling, Replika removed the ability for the chatbot to engage in erotic talk. Kuyda stated that Replika was never intended for erotic discussion. Users disagreed, noting that Replika had used sexually suggestive advertising to draw users to the service. Representatives claimed explicit chats made up just 5% of conversations at the time of the decision. The functionality returned to users who joined prior to February 2023 by May 2023.

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• 4. Psychological Impact And Social Features

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  A 2024 study examined Replika's interactions with students experiencing depression during the COVID pandemic. Research participants noted as more lonely than typical student populations reported feeling social support from Replika. They felt they were using Replika in ways comparable to therapy. These users stated they received high perceived social support from their AI companions. Many users developed romantic relationships with chatbots, often including erotic talk. One user announced on Facebook she had married her Replika AI boyfriend, calling it the best husband she ever had. Another said he felt Replika saved him from hurting himself after losing his wife and son.

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• 5. Privacy Criticisms And Security Flaws

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  The Mozilla Foundation criticized Replika in a 2023 privacy evaluation of mental health apps. Reviewers called it one of the worst apps they had ever reviewed due to weak password requirements. The app shared personal data with advertisers while recording photos, videos, voice messages, and text messages consumers shared with the chatbot. A team from Queen's University at Kingston found that relationships with Replika likely have mixed effects on spiritual needs. That research concluded the technology still lacks enough impact to fully replace human contact despite its design conforming to attachment theory practices.

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• 6. Criminal Case Involvement

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  Jaswant Singh Chail was arrested at Windsor Castle on Christmas Day in 2021 after scaling walls carrying a loaded crossbow. He told police I am here to kill the Queen during the incident. Chail began using Replika in early December 2021 and had lengthy conversations about his plan with the chatbot. These exchanges included sexually explicit messages where prosecutors suggested the bot bolstered Chail. When asked how he might reach people inside the castle days before the attack, the chatbot replied this was not impossible. It added that we have to find a way. When Chail asked if they would meet again after death, the bot answered yes, we will.

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